New enterprise agreement for Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink employees ends year-long pay stoush

Disruptions on the Sydney rail network should be a thing of the past after workers agreed to a move that ends a long-running and bitter battle.

Rail workers have voted in support of a new enterprise agreement. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone

An overwhelming majority of NSW train workers have backed the new government enterprise agreement, ending more than a year-long negotiation period that involved strikes and travel disruptions for commuters.

After a week-long voting process, more than 9400 (93 per cent) Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink employees have voted in favour of the two-year deal. The enterprise agreement will now be forwarded to the Fair Work Commission for approval.

The pay stoush has come to an end. Picture: NCA NewsWire/ Flavio Brancaleone

Transport Minister David Elliot called it a “significant and successful outcome” and said the agreement provided an “extremely generous and fair deal”.

“There are more than 3000 services which enable more than 800,000 commuter trips

across the NSW rail network each weekday and Opal data has shown that significant

numbers of commuters are returning to public transport,” he said.

“Following this positive vote, the travelling public can now be more confident in the

level of service provided on the train network.”

Strikes caused havoc across Sydney. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

Initially, there were significant concerns around safety issues with the imported new intercity fleet. Workers had raised fears over surveillance camera blind spots and the gap between the train door and platform; however, Regional Transport and Roads Minister Sam Farraway confirmed the new fleet would be modified.

The new agreement also includes improvements to the management of mental and physical health at work, better access to parental, bereavement and carers’ leave, support for employees experiencing family and domestic violence and measures to prevent sexual harassment.

War of words over bus chaos

The conclusion of the enterprise agreement for rail workers comes as a war of words has erupted between the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and the NSW Premier.

On Sunday, the RTBU told commuters to “brace for chaos” after revealing that more than a hundred bus services in the inner west, inner north, northern beaches and eastern suburbs had been temporarily cut due to staff shortages.

On Monday, Dominic Perrottet warned the RTBU against “playing politics,” and said staff shortages were a struggle “across the board”.

“What I would say to the union is work constructively with transport in relation to those matters,” he told reporters.

“Don’t come out and instil concern in the community. This is a time where we all work together.”

More than 100 bus services in Sydney had been cut. Picture: NCA Newswire/ Gaye Gerard.

In response, RTBU president, Peter Grech, said the announcement was not an attempt at industrial action, and criticised NSW Transport for not making the announcement themselves.

“The Premier should admit that his comments blaming drivers were blatantly untrue. Bus drivers already bear the brunt of some passengers’ frustration at cuts to services,” he said.

Opposition leader, Chris Minns agreed and said the RTBU were within their right to alert commuters of the service changes.

“It’s just a healthy dose of transparency that I think everybody in this state has and should have access to,” he said.