Sydney train commuters, better brace yourselves. More disruptions could be on the way, with rail workers planning more industrial action starting next week.
As reported by ABC News, the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) demanded the NSW Government refund passengers for travel for the previous chaos between January 13 and January 17. The union claims it was “unfairly blamed for the meltdown across the network”.
Things cooled off after the Fair Work Commission stepped in and temporarily paused the industrial action, but the government isn’t backing down on the refund demand. Instead, they’re proposing to give everyone a “fare-free day” – once the pay dispute with the rail unions is sorted.
Now, it looks like the unions are ready to strike again, with ‘go-slow’ action planned from February 12 to February 26. This means trains will be running at about 23 km/h slower than usual in areas where the speed limit is 80 km/h or more.
And if that wasn’t enough, the Electrical Trades Union is also planning rolling stoppages on February 12, between 8 am and 4 pm, per ABC News.
So, it could be a rough day for commuters.
The pay dispute between the unions and the NSW Government has been dragging on for months, with around 13,000 train workers involved.
The government has offered a 14 per cent pay rise over four years, but the unions aren’t happy with that and have proposed a different plan. They put forward a four per cent rise in the first year and 3.5 per cent in the next two years, plus back pay from May last year, per the Sydney Morning Herald.
We might be in for a bumpy ride, so make sure you plan ahead if you’ve got travel on the cards next week.
Lead image: Roni Bintang and Education Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
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