Rail union drops major industrial bans in last minute backdown

In an astonishing eleventh hour backdown, the rail union has dropped eight of its major industrial bans which threatened to cripple Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations next week.

In an astonishing eleventh hour backdown, the rail union has dropped eight of its major industrial bans which threatened to cripple Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations next week.

Hours away from a Fair Work Commission hearing, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) unconditionally withdrew its harshest bans including the prohibition on the number of kilometres Sydney Train staff can travel in a single shift. They will also drop requests for the 24-hour trains.

Industrial bans are actions implemented by unions prohibiting members from doing certain work during an industrial dispute.

In an update to RTBU members sent on Monday evening, NSW secretary Toby Warnes said several industrial bans would be withdrawn from 11pm tonight in order for the union “to be in the best possible position” at tomorrow’s hearing.

They will also drop the ban preventing members working in temperatures over 30 degrees.

Mr Warnes told members the decision to drop some of their most significant industrial bans was “frustrating”.

Hours away from a Fair Work Commission hearing, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) unconditionally withdrew its harshest bans. Picture: Tom Parrish

“While it is frustrating to have to adjust our planned actions, our ability to pivot and respond strategically is crucial in the face of these dishonest and immoral manoeuvres.”

Christmas Eve travellers on the T1North Shore and Western Line have faced disruption on Tuesday morning due to service cancellations.

Sydney Trains advised passengers to plan ahead, stating on X: “Allow extra travel time after earlier protected industrial action affected infrastructure at Granville,” the statement read.

“Services will be less frequent.”

Despite the union’s last minute decision to drop the bans, both parties will still front the Fair Work Commission tomorrow with the fate of Sydney’s New Year’s Eve celebrations still unknown.

It comes after the NSW government rejected a demand from the rail union to make public transport across the state free, which would have cost taxpayers $127 million per month.

Both Premier Chris Minns and Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) leaders said trust between the parties has completely eroded as they prepare to have the case heard in the Fair Work Commission on tomorrow. The government hopes to force the Combined Rail Unions to abandon their rolling industrial action, which has resulted in delays and cancellations across the network.

The Minns government on Monday rejected a last-minute offer from the RTBU to cancel most industrial action till January 7 if all modes of public transport were made free for commuters indefinitely until a wage deal is negotiated.

Premier Chris Minns and Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said the government had lost trust in the union. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

The cost to taxpayers to waive fares across all modes of transport would cost $1.53 billion per year or $127 million per month.

Mr Minns said on Monday he had “stupidly” agreed to fare free days in the past in the hope of solving the dispute, however, given the “strikes keep happening” he has lost trust in the union.

“It’s a trust issue. We don’t think we can trust them to follow through, to pull all their industrial bans,”

The Premier said while he hoped the Commission would prevent industrial action from taking place on NYE, the government were considering options if they lost the case to ensure public safety – including cancelling the fireworks.

“Nothing is off the table, including, I hate to say this, but including cancelling the fireworks or recommending that people don’t go to the city during New Year’s Eve,” he said.

“If you listen to the expert advice we’ve got from police and from crowd specialists, it is that we could have a situation where there’s panic in the city and there could be massive crowd problems.”

Transport Minister Jo Haylen said the union’s demands of fare free public transport were “absolutely contradictory” saying the government would need to “almost double” fares in order to afford the union’s wage demands The union is asking for a 32 per cent increase over four years.

The government estimates the Rail, Tram and Bus Union’s wage claims of 32 per cent over four years would represent a compound increase in the wages bill of $720 million per year. This would mean fare revenue would need to increase by 76 per cent to cover the cost of the pay demands.

Minister for Transport Jo Haylen said transport fares would need to be almost doubled to pay for the rail union’s wage requests. Picture: NewsWire/ Gaye Gerard

RTBU NSW secretary Toby Warnes agreed that trust between the NSW government and the union had eroded.

“There is a trust deficit … because every time we’ve taken (the Premier) on his word … he has back flipped and filed against us in the court,” he said.

“He’s done something sneaky, and underhand that is not worthy of the office of the Premier.”

There were also disagreements over whether another wage offer had been made last week by the government. Mr Minns said on Monday, a new wage offer had been made to the union last week, a claim the union denied.

Mr Warnes also disputed that there was any safety risk to the public by engaging in industrial action on NYE, despite Police Commissioner Karen Webb warning of serious safety concerns if there is not enough public transport to ferry large crowds out of the city.

“We don’t think there is a safety risk,” Mr Warnes said.

“We will be willing to do whatever is necessary to adjust our industrial action to ensure there is no safety risk.”

Originally published as Rail union drops major industrial bans in last minute backdown