Sydney rail workers offer to drop industrial action – on conditions
The government estimates that scrapping fares would cost $127 million a month. “The unions have demanded free travel twice before, which the government has agreed to, and the unions went straight back to taking industrial action,” the spokesperson said.
In a letter sent late Sunday night, the RTBU also demanded that large hospitality and entertainment groups including Laundy Hotels, Merivale, Ryan’s Hotel Group and Luna Park withdraw their submissions outlining the hurt caused to their businesses.
The impact of rolling industrial action on New Year’s Eve has become a major flashpoint in the dispute.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
The hoteliers’ submissions are part of a separate application by the government to Fair Work seeking orders for industrial action to be suspended.
The RTBU said it was making an offer for a “way forward which would enable there to be minimal disruption on New Year’s Eve and throughout the remainder of the festive season”. The union said its offer to the government would remain open until 1pm on Monday.
According to Transport for NSW analysis, Sydney’s rail network will be 200 drivers short on New Year’s Eve if workers proceed with planned industrial action.
As part of its action, the RTBU has instituted restrictions on the distance each driver or guard can travel.
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In its application to Fair Work, the government has said major train delays on New Year’s Eve due to industrial action risk causing deadly crowd crushes and a spike in antisocial behaviour among large numbers of revellers frustrated by disrupted services.
Police Commissioner Karen Webb has said she had “grave concerns” for Sydneysiders’ safety on New Year’s Eve and may recommend fireworks be cancelled if the industrial action continues.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had spoken to Minns about the dispute and believed the state government was being reasonable.
“This is a dispute that … should be settled, and common sense should prevail,” he said on Monday morning. “We support the actions which the Minns government are taking.
“The RTBU need to be responsible, and common sense needs to apply here. And they need to understand that they will lose public support if they engage in activity that disrupts the public during at time like this, over Christmas and New Year’s.”
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