Sydney workers forced to take leave during strike

SYDNEY workers have been told if they can’t get into work during the threatened train strike, they’ll have to pay for it with their annual leave.

A THREATENED 24-hour train strike is expected to cost Sydney tens of millions, but it could cost the city’s workers personally too.

Sydney workers are being told to pay for their own taxis or parking in the CBD, or take annual leave when 9000 train workers stop work Monday.

News.com.au has seen emails from major CBD employers encouraging staff to dip into their paid leave balances if next week’s planned strike goes ahead.

While some workplaces are encouraging employees to plan to work remotely on Monday to avoid travel issues, one law firm that employs hundreds of workers in its CBD office has told its staff to be in the office or take a leave day because of a likely strain on its remote server on the day.

The same firm said it was each staff member’s personal responsibility to organise their own travel, and that the cost of alternative transport or parking would not be covered.

The instructions are at odds with what staff in some of the big banks have been told.

ANZ and Westpac workers have been encouraged not to come into the office, while some cafes have already made plans to shut down completely for the day, the Daily Telegraphhas reported.

Some CBD employers, including ANZ, have assured staff they would not be left out of pocket for any additional transport costs, and have already made arrangements to issue taxi vouchers.

Sydney businesses are remaining hopeful that a strike will not eventuate as talks between Sydney Trains bosses and union officials over pay and conditions resume.

A law firm that employs hundreds of workers in its CBD office has told staff to be in the office or take a leave day, and the cost of alternative transport or parking will not be covered.

After a marathon 10-hour meeting on Monday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has encouraged all parties to put aside their differences and do what’s in the best interest of customers, and said her government was prepared to take legal action if the action couldn’t be averted through negotiations.

“We do have legal recourse and we will be taking that action but of course our preference is that negotiations end in a positive way and that the strike action be averted,” she told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

The union is pushing for a six per cent pay rise and improved conditions, while the government upped its offer to three per cent overnight after previously holding firm on a 2.5 per cent increase.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary Alex Claassens says it’s not just about money.

The main issues revolve around resourcing, rostering and job security. He is frustrated that Transport Minister Andrew Constance — who hasn’t been in the meetings — is focusing on pay over conditions.

“It’s not going to help the negotiations. In fact, it will probably derail it,” Mr Claassens told 2GB radio on Tuesday.

Unless management addresses the union’s concerns about conditions, the proposed ban on overtime work will start on Thursday, followed by the strike on Monday, he said.

“We’re just frustrated,” he added.

Mr Constance insists the government made an offer good enough to stave off the strike.

“We have put the offer to them and it is up to them to hopefully get this good package in place,” he told the Seven Network.

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull weighed in on Tuesday, calling for the union to get on with it.

“Standing over the government or the public transport authorities with that type of threat of strike action, the only people that will suffer are the commuters and they should be put first,” he told reporters in Brisbane.

— With AAP