‘Very hopeful’: Rail unions to present counteroffer to government amid transport chaos storm

After an ongoing pay dispute led to transport chaos across Sydney, a crucial deal that could end the standoff between the unions and transport officials seems closer.

Sydney’s rail union officials will present a counteroffer on workers’ pay and conditions to the State Government, following a crippling train strike being put on hold by the workplace umpire.

The NSW capital was last week plunged into transport chaos after thousands of train services were cancelled, due to protected industrial action from the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU).

A hasty interim order was then issued by the Fair Work Commission after the State Government took the issue to court last Thursday – offering some reprieve for stranded commuters.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports officials from the ETU and RTBU branches met with some of the state’s transport heads on Monday, during a hearing to present their counteroffer.

Sydney was plunged into transport chaos last week after hundreds of services were cancelled, due to protected industrial action led by the state’s rail unions. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

Speaking ahead of the meeting, RTBU state secretary Toby Warnes said the counteroffer would be presented but declined to reveal further details, in order not to “jeopardise” it.

Mr Warnes said he was “very hopeful” over a deal as their positions were “close”.

A RTBU spokeswoman confirmed the counteroffer had been presented but did not add further details due to the ongoing negotiations.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports discussions could run as late as Wednesday morning – when a two-day scheduled hearing is due to start on the government’s bid to stop the protected industrial action.

RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes on Monday said they were due to present a counteroffer to transport officials, after the Fair Work Commission intervened. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Their application was made under Section 424 – which empowers the commission to intervene in protected industrial action if it is found to endanger life, personal safety or health, or welfare of people or cause significant damage to the Australian economy or part of it.

Last week’s industrial action was sparked by renewed pressure on the Labor government, led by Chris Minns, amid long-running negotiations for a new pay deal for the 13,000 union-affiliated rail workers.

The RTBU has asked for a 32 per cent pay rise over the next four years for its members.

But the government’s offer – a 15 per cent pay rise and 1 per cent super increase – was summarily rejected during negotiations.

The cancellations stemmed from an ongoing pay dispute between the unions and NSW State Government. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short

Mass cancellations of train services began last Monday as a result of the ETU banning its members operating padlocks and other locking mechanisms connected to Sydney’s train system.

It meant crucial maintenance inspections needed at sections of the network weren’t able to go ahead – leading to the network’s signals going red as a safety precaution.

Those signals therefore needed to be manually changed to allow individual trains to pass from one set of tracks to another, all while moving at a snail’s pace.

Compounding this, the RTBU’s separate three-day action led to trains travelling 23km/h below the speed limit in 80km/h zones.