Rail union fires shot at NSW Government hours before New Year’s Eve fireworks in Sydney

A five-minute stoppage by rail workers to put up union stickers has hit Sydney train services with delays on the busiest night of the year.

A five-minute stoppage by rail workers to put up union stickers has hit Sydney train services with delays on the busiest night of the year.

Delays caused by last-minute rail union action, which saw trains stop or for five minutes for union stickers to be plastered over them, did not cause major delays.

Transport sources said the impact was small with trains expected to get back to timetable within the hour of the stoppages, which occurred about 6pm.

About 5pm commuters were warned trains across Sydney’s railway network could experience a “short, small disruption” from 6pm, as union members carry out industrial action.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union advised it would take the low-level action to allow members to participate in the “highly visible” activity of planting stickers on rail assets to protest fair wage conditions.

The union advised the public could expect a “short, small disruption”, however said “any ongoing disruptions or cancellations on the rail network tonight and into the new year can only be attributed to the mismanagement of Sydney Trains.”

Trains could see five-minute stopages for RTBU stickers.

Transport for New South Wales has been contacted for comment.

The Telegraph understands the delays are likely to last for as long as it takes members to place stickers on trains and platforms, with a union representative promising extensive delays would not occur.

NSW Government sources said the stopages were expected to last five minutes, but there were concerns they disruptions could last longer.

Earlier on Tuesday, the rail union fired a pre-New Year’s Eve night shot at the NSW Government and Sydney Trains management, saying they are “deeply concerned” that “basic measures” haven’t been put in place to ensure smooth running ahead of tonight.

RTBU sticker for NYE industrial action

Despite withholding industrial action which Premier Chris Minns said could have forced the cancellation of Sydney’s world-famous fireworks, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) on Tuesday morning warned chaos could still strike Sydney’s train network.

“New Year’s Eve is Sydney’s night of nights. Rail workers want the evening to run smoothly, but we don’t run the network,” RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes said in a statement.

“We need management and the government to make sure they’re doing the basics to make sure everyone can get around the city and enjoy the fireworks and parties.”

RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

“Whether it’s deliberate or not, it does seem that the basic mitigation measures and forward planning have been overlooked, removed, or in some cases, never considered at all,” he said.

“We’ve seen the NSW Government attempt to blame industrial action for every little mishap on the network in the past … They can’t do that this time – if the trains don’t work, it will very clearly be the fault of the NSW Government which seems to have lost interest in running public transport.”

The rail union’s proposed industrial action threatened the Sydney fireworks, before it was dropped at the eleventh-hour. Picture: Izhar Khan/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The union nominated a shortfall of staff, totalling 1100 and ranging from station staff to signallers – and a lack of station staff in Sydney’s outer suburbs tonight, as key issues which hadn’t been addressed.

The claims come amid a frosty New Year’s Eve truce between the NSW Government and the union, who are working to negotiate their next pay and work deal.

The union dropped their threatened industrial actions last week which the NSW Government said would hobble the rail network on New Year’s Eve, potentially forcing the axing of the fireworks.

Circular Quay and Barangaroo train and Metro stations will be closed from this afternoon, while George Street’s Light Rail will also be shuttered as crowds flood the city.

“Things should run okay but things on New Year’s Eve often go awry at times,” Mr Warnes told ABC Radio Sydney on Tuesday morning.

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