Sydneysiders set to be stranded on New Year’s Eve with planned rail worker strike

Trains staff have been warned not to play “chicken” with the NSW economy and our international reputation, with the state government to pursue all legal options to avert “intolerable” strike action.

Millions of people will be disrupted and Sydney’s reputation overseas could be battered if rail unions take “any level” of strike action on New Year’s Eve, the government and industry have warned.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen has vowed to “pursue all legal options” available to stop a strike which unions are threatening to impose from December 28.

However, Ms Haylen would not say whether the government would pursue a s424 application to have the industrial action banned on economic grounds.

“No level of industrial action is tolerable this time of the year, particularly given how tough it’s been for families and businesses,” she said.

Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said the Rail, Tram and Bus union has not moved from its demand for a 32 per cent pay increase, and warned officials that they should not use New Year’s Eve to “play chicken with the NSW economy”.

NSW Minister for Transport, Jo Haylen. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

The combined rail unions are threatening to take a range of strike action from December 28, including driving trains 23 kilometres per hour under the speed limit and reducing the kilometres staff drive each shift.

“The cumulative effect of these bans, and some bans in particular, mean that services are cancelled and delayed,” Ms Haylen said.

Business groups said any disruption over New Year’s Eve would be a disaster that could cause international embarrassment.

“There is a real danger that we damage the brand that is Sydney if our public transport system isn’t working the way it should,” Tourism and Transport Forum CEO Margie Osmond said.

Business NSW CEO Dan Hunter said that the “threat of strike action” could be enough to send businesses under.

“If this strike goes ahead, some businesses will experience bankruptcy,” he said.

President of the Rail Union Craig Turner said members “unanimously” voted to take industrial action. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

RTBU President Craig Turner said that members do not want to take industrial action over New Year’s Eve, but it was up to Premier Chris Minns to step in and reach a deal.

As well as driving restrictions the RTBU strike is set to see staff refuse to work anywhere but in airconditioning when the temperature hits 30 degrees, or in humidity above 80 per cent, and refuse to fine nurses for not having a ticket during morning and evening peaks.

RTBU members could also refuse to reinstate cancelled services, and refuse to close Opal gates if they have been opened or turned off.

140 WORK BANS

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union and Electrical Trades Union have notified Sydney trains of almost 140 separate work bans which they intend to put in place indefinitely from December 28, in a move which could shut down the network over New Year’s Eve.

The ETU is threatening a complete strike, while the RTBU is threatening to impose 15 different industrial actions.

Government sources warned that the action, if it goes ahead, will stop trains from running during the busiest time of the year.

On Monday, The Minns government was scrambling to find a way to block the strike, which is nearly identical to action that was blocked by the courts last week.

Those options could include pursuing an application to the Fair Work Commission arguing that the proposed strike action should be banned as it would harm the state’s economy.

Mr Turner accused the NSW Government of failing to engage with workers, claiming no progress has been made since early December.

“They’ve cancelled all the meetings, so we haven’t been negotiating or bargaining at all,” Mr. Turner told 2GB.

NO NYE PLAN: TURNER

Despite the industrial action, Mr Turner said trains will run on New Year’s Eve, though the level of service will depend on the government’s response.

“Trains will be running; it depends on what actions we put on.

“We haven’t come up with what we’re going to do on New Year’s Eve yet. We’re hoping for everyone, especially for people in NSW, that the premier calls us and gets this job done,” he said.

Shadow Transport Minister Natalie Ward criticised the government’s handling of the negotiations, accusing the Premier and Transport Minister of inaction.

Shadow Transport Minister Natalie Ward criticised the government of inaction.

“No one wants New Year’s Eve cancelled, no one wants this chaos, but because the government’s let this drag on for months,” Ms Ward told 2GB.

“The government has one job: keep transport moving. It seems instead they’re steering into more chaos, and no one wants to be responsible.

“The Premier doesn’t want to get his hands dirty — he’s apparently not returning calls.”

2GB radio host John Stanley later explained that while protected industrial action is set to begin on December 28, the union has not clarified the specific measures they plan to take.

Mr Turner said members “unanimously” voted to take industrial action in a vote which closed at 4pm on Monday.

In a video posted to Facebook, he said the result was “history making”.

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph last week, the RTBU was given the all clear to strike from on New Year’s Eve after the Fair Work Commission agreed to an unusually short ballot of members.

The strike action that will be imposed from December 28 is largely the same as the action which was blocked in a last-minute court order last Sunday night.

People attending Sydney’s famous New Year's Eve midnight fireworks will be affected by the decision. Picture: Jonathan Ng

The matter was before the federal court on Monday. Union lawyers were attempting to get the legal block on their action overturned.

Lawyers for both sides spent the day arguing over whether the original industrial action – blocked by the court – was valid.

Justice Michael Wheelahan has retired to consider his judgment, which is expected to be delivered within days.