Sydney train strike will go ahead as no deal reached

THE Sydney rail strike on Monday is going ahead and it is set to cause massive disruption across the city from as early as tomorrow.

MASSIVE disruption is on the way for Sydney commuters as a last-minute deal to avoid strike action has fallen through.

The chaos will begin tomorrow with 1300 trains set to be cut and a Saturday timetable put in place.

The 24-hour strike on Monday will go ahead as union members rejected the proposal union bosses put to them this afternoon.

Sydney and NSW Trains management came to the table with an offer for the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW today — in a bid to halt the industrial action.

But fewer than six per cent of NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union members voted to suspend planned industrial action over a conditions and wages dispute.

“Unfortunately my members have overwhelmingly decided that the offer on the table is nowhere near good enough and our industrial action will continue,” RTBU NSW Secretary Alex Claassens told reporters.

Industrial action will affect trains from tomorrow. AAP/Image Matthew Vasilescu

“All I can say is that I’m very, very sorry we’re in this position. I tried to do everything I can to avert it. I will continue to do that.”

He added that the decision was not about money.

“I know there’s some doubting Thomases over here, but I have honestly always said it’s about our conditions first and foremost. We have got a Minister that’s been out there privatising everything left, right and centre. We want to have some protections for our members.”

According to Channel Ten’s Lachlan Kennedy, the Rail Union has informed members that, from 6100 texts, only 360 odd ‘yes’ replies were received.

He added that the state government had lodged paperwork in Fair Work to stop the strike.

STRIKE PROCEEDING: Rail Union has informed members that from 6,100 texts, only 360 odd ‘yes’ replies were received. Meaning industrial action will go ahead. Back to the negotiating table. Govt has lodged paperwork in Fair Work to stop strike@TenNewsSydney #TenNews #SydneyTrains

— Lachlan Kennedy (@lachlan_kennedy) January 24, 2018

The deal put to the union today included an annual pay increase of 2.75 per cent, a $1000 bonus for each employee along with free travel passes being extended.

The RTBU wanted staff to have a six per cent pay increase every year for four years — Sydney Trains had offered half that.

Transport for NSW released a statement, saying bus, ferry and light rail services will continue to run from January 25 and through the Australia Day long weekend — however it added that services will be busier than normal.

Some bus services may be cancelled to be used on other routes.

A Transport statement, states that T5 Cumberland Line services will be cancelled from Friday until Sunday. A shuttle train service will run between Blacktown and Richmond.

T6 Carlingford Line services are cancelled from Friday until Sunday too, with buses replacing trains between Clyde and Carlingford.

Some additional services will be available to supplement Australia Day services and events at Sydney Olympic Park after 4pm.

Considering how much chaos just 70 drivers calling in sick caused a few weeks back, the Thursday cuts alone could have a serious effect, and a full-on strike could bring Sydney to a standstill.

Already, companies have been drawing up contingency plans. Some are letting staff work from home or paying for cabs. Others have suggested workers take a day of annual leave if they really can’t get in.

Tony Abbott weighed in on the upcoming strikes on 2GB this evening, telling Ben Fordham it was “industrial blackmail”.

“It’s an essential service and rail workers are well paid. On average, they get on $113,000 per year,” said the former prime minister. “They’re very well paid, I believe, for what they do.

“I am pleased to see that the state government is apparently going for the industrial commission to ban this strike.

“You shouldn’t be able to shut down the city in pursuit over a bit of industrial blackmail. It’s just wrong.”

It’s not just Sydney Trains — NSW TrainLink services are also likely to halt.

So, what’s going to happen tomorrow?

An “indefinite overtime ban” is scheduled to begin on Thursday, with a Saturday timetable in operation and 1300 trains cut.

Quite simply, the normal weekday timetable is unsustainable without overtime.

That means some stations that enjoy trains every few minutes during the peak may only see a train every 15 minutes. Other stations will have even wider gaps between trains.

Given the rail network’s controversial new timetable is dependent on drivers going over and above their regular hours, this is bad news for commuters.

Expect delays and cancellations.

Sydney Trains chief executive Howard Collins urged passengers to check travel times in advance. “My advice to customers is to try and avoid those rush hour times. We will get you to your destination, it may just mean changing your plans,” he said on Tuesday.

But more services may still be added if union members agree to the deal overnight.

What about after that?

Transport Minister Andrew Constance has announced that from Thursday to Sunday, “Trains will run to a significantly reduced timetable.”

And now that the stoppage is going ahead, Monday is when most pain will be felt. Particularly as many people will be returning from their long summer breaks so bringing the network up to full capacity.

Will just trains within Sydney be affected?

While all the focus has been on Sydney, the RTBU has confirmed to news.com.au that union members working for NSW Train Link are also affected.

NSW Train Link is the regional train operator and provides services to Newcastle, Wollongong, the Central Coast and Blue Mountains. They also serve destinations further afield including Canberra, Dubbo and the North Coast and send interstate XPT trains to Melbourne and Brisbane.

In other words, if you get a train anywhere in NSW, you’ll be affected.

Sydney’s light rail will continue to operate. Picture: Craig Wilson

Will all trains stop on Monday?

We’re still waiting for Transport for NSW, the Government body that coordinates rail services, to confirm this.

Not all staff are union members so may choose not to take action. But given how unionised the railways are, and the vital role staff play in ensuring safety, you can pretty much expect the network to grind to a halt.

As RTBU NSW Secretary Alex Claassens has said: “The trains will go to bed on Sunday night and they won’t come out on Monday morning.”

What about other public transport options?

Staff working on NSW’s buses, trams and ferries are not affected by industrial action so you can expect them to head to work as usual.

If you have a bus or tram you can use instead, this will be running on Monday.

However, with as many people in Sydney using the trains as buses, that’s an awful lot of people trying to crowd on to already full buses on Monday.

For journeys of over 20km, some 16 per cent of people ride the train. That’s a significant number to squeeze on another transport mode.

Buses are likely to be busy if the trains stop. Picture: AAP/Image Matthew Vasilesc

Will there be an increase in light rail or bus services to compensate?

Perhaps — we’re trying to get some clarity on this. But, it’s highly unlikely a replacement vehicle could be found to cover every train.

As Transport Minister Andrew Constance said last week, there simply aren’t enough spare buses and coaches in NSW to replace the trains.

Will I get compensation for the delays?

Sorry. Not happening. Both the Transport Minister and Premier have ruled out refunds.