It’s Valentine’s Day and the rail union has broken Sydney commuters’ hearts

It was not exactly love that was in the air as the leaders of NSW’s rail unions sat across from Transport for NSW officials and state government mandarins this week. It was more like a warring couple that had agreed to custody arrangements and was down to dividing the silverware.

As state political editor Alexandra Smith and colleague Michael McGowan report, the sides met for two days in the latest round of talks in a dispute that has disrupted commuters for months. They went through claim and counterclaim line by line, hopeful they could reach a new agreement. Then came the $60 million sticking point: a $4500 one-off payment from the last agreement the union says was always baked into the deal, which the government says was never on the table.

Industrial action from the rail union is causing disruptions across Sydney’s train network.Credit: Michael Ruffles

The old fight was on anew and Sydneysiders woke on Friday morning caught in the middle. When more than 300 drivers failed to show up to work in what NSW Treasurer Daniel Mookhey described as a “sneak strike”, 465 services were cancelled by noon and there were expectations 1000 or more could be affected by day’s end. At lunchtime, internal data showed 0 per cent of Sydney trains running on time. By 2.30pm, the parties were back before the Fair Work Commission.

For commuters and businesses, it was a Valentine’s Day to forget. There will certainly be no love for the unions after a text message emerged encouraging train drivers to “f--- the network up”. That Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Toby Warnes says it was not endorsed by the union will come as little comfort to the thousands left stranded at or between stations, running late for work, schools, doctors’ appointments or planes. Even those most sympathetic to the unions’ cause are tired of being used as bargaining chips.

The long-running brawl nearly resulted in the cancellation of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks display and led to an ugly citywide meltdown a month ago, when more than 2500 services had been suspended in the 36 hours before the Fair Work Commission ordered a halt to industrial action.

Then, the Herald argued the industrial bastardry must stop and the combined rail unions should take the pay offer and get back to work. The workers had a fair and reasonable offer in front of them. They still do. The Herald expressed zero confidence in the unions’ capacity to read the room, and this inability to understand the public mood was on full display on Friday.

If they truly are down to the last sticking point, admittedly an expensive one, Sydney should not be held hostage because of it. The two sides need to sort it out, and soon – if not in the negotiating rooms, then in the courts.

This is a bitter Valentine’s Day for the government, the unions and the city at large. There will be no happily ever after, but we must all live together. It’s time to sign the papers and move on.

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