Busways strike and free travel in western Sydney and Central Coast

BUS commuters will be travelling for free for two days this week in western Sydney and the Central Coast ahead of a strike on Monday.

A strike is planned in western Sydney and Central Coast for Monday.

BUS commuters will be travelling for free on Thursday and Friday in western Sydney and the Central Coast ahead of a strike on Monday, following failed negotiations between the Transport Workers’ Union and Busways.

It is the second strike since Friday when union members stopped work, inconveniencing 50 per cent of services across the regions between 10am and 2pm.

It came two days after members refused to sell tickets and turned off Opal ticket machines, offering commuters free travel.

But, unlike the stop-work action last week, the strike on Monday will affect the peak morning rush hour.

Busways and the union had a meeting this morning, which TWU NSW official Nimrod Nyols said was unfruitful.

“They are not interested in changing their position,” he said.

“I provided them with a 72-hour notice of work stoppage on Monday, August 29 from 5am to 9am.”

Bus services will be disrupted on Monday, August 29.

Mr Nirmod said the union planned to communicate with schools about the disruption.

“We have had no interest from Busways to stop the strike,” he said.

“The last thing our workers want to do is disrupt services. But we feel we are out of options.”

Busways said “the industrial action affects the travelling public and does little to resolve the alleged issue”.

But in a statement a Busways spokesman said:

“The actions taken by members of the TWU will have a limited impact on services as only 35 per cent of permanent employees are union members.”