Opal machines to be turned off from Thursday in industrial dispute

Commuters in one Australian city will ride trains for free this week with the time set to benefit many workers.

Train workers will turn off Opal machines from Thursday in an escalation over an ongoing wages and conditions dispute with the NSW government, the union representing the workers has confirmed.

Ram, Trail and Bus Union NSW Secretary Alex Claassens confirmed on Monday that rail workers would switch off Opal machines from 3-7pm each day beginning this Thursday, providing commuters with free travel “indefinitely” the union said.

The RTBU said the industrial action resulted from the NSW government’s refusal to offer fair wages and working conditions.

The NSW Rail, Train and Bus Union will challenge turn off Opal machines across Sydney as a part of an industrial dispute with the state government. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Mr Claassens said the industrial dispute was designed to provide a “headache” for NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and his coalition government.

“Rail workers have been committed to providing workers with free travel because, frankly, they deserve it after everything the NSW government has put them through,” Mr Claassens said on Monday.

“If the NSW government is insistent workers shouldn’t be given free travel, then the Premier and his Ministers should simply sit down and reach an agreement with his rail workers,” he said.

The decision to switch off Opal machines from Thursday will give commuters free travel ‘indefinitely’ the union representing train workers said on Monday. NSW. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

“Everybody is fed up with the ongoing rail dispute, but we’ve no choice but to continue to do whatever it takes for as long as it takes to force the NSW Government to provide safe trains to commuters and fair wages and conditions for workers.”

In September, the NSW Premier threatened to terminate an enterprise bargaining agreement with train workers if any industrial action inconvenienced commuters.

“My position is very clear … If there’s any industrial action on the network that inconveniences the people of our state, or there is any industrial action on the metro construction that costs taxpayer dollars, we will move immediately to terminate the enterprise agreement,” Mr Perrottet said.

In September, the same threat was made by the RTBU, before the union was forced to retreat after the NSW government successfully challenged the strike action.