Staff on Sydney’s rail network will begin industrial action on Sunday by refusing to issue fines and warnings to passengers, as well as vowing to leave station doors open.
It comes as the transport union said it would hold further action over the next month.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has announced that there will be ongoing strikes until August to express their demands to the government over safety concerns on the new intercity fleet.
Here’s what we know about the upcoming strikes.
More train mayhem is headed for Sydneysiders (Janie Barrett)
When are train strikes planned?
There are nine different strikes planned throughout August, some of which will affect the regularity of train services and some of which will not.
On August 7, transport officers will be prohibited from issuing fines and warnings.
On August 10, train services will be affected in Zone 1 covering the T4 Illawarra and South Coast line and some Sydney services.
These trains will be affected from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On August 12, cleaners are prohibited from using vacuum cleaners or scrubbers.
On August 13, station staff will leave all doors open at all times.
On August 15, the train crew will only operate trains that meet the “minimum standards” of the maintenance center.
This means that not all trains will be operational, but it is not clear which trains do not comply with these rules.
On 17 August, services in zone two covering the T3 Liverpool line and the T2 Campbelltown line.
The suburbs of Campbelltown to Goulburn and Albury will be affected.
This area will be affected from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Different train lines are expected to be affected on different days. (9 News)
On August 23, train services in area three, including the T1 Blue Mountains line and the Newcastle line, will be affected.
Stops from Newcastle to Lithgow will be affected.
This area will also be affected from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On August 25, train services in area four will be affected, including city center services to Central, St James, Town Hall, Wynyard, Circular Quay, Redfern and Museum.
This will be from 10 am to 4 pm.
On August 31, foreign-made trains representing 70 percent of the fleet will be banned from operating.
This will cause significant delays for commuters similar to those seen in previous strikes when only 30 per cent of the fleet was operating.
Why are transport staff on strike?
Transport staff are walking off the job again as they claim the NSW Government has failed to meet their safety demands relating to the new intercity fleet.
The union has expressed concern over crucial blind spots in monitoring the new fleet because it relies solely on monitoring from CCTV cameras mounted on the sides of trains, which have no audio and a restricted line of sight due to the design of the carriages .
The union wants the government to fix safety issues around the new intercity fleet’s surveillance black spots. (9 News)
RTBU secretary Alex Claassens said rail workers have no choice but to take additional measures.
“The NSW government is essentially holding the people of NSW to the rescue to make a political point that is so strange and bitterly disappointing,” he said.
“We’ve done everything we can to get these vital safety changes, but the government refuses to listen.
“This is our only way to ensure that the security changes that need to be made will actually be made.
“We’ve had a lot of verbal promises before, so this time we need to see them committed to a binding document.”
The strikes are about the New Interurban Fleet. (9 News)
Which lines will be affected by the train strikes?
Different train lines will be affected on different days in the upcoming strikes.
17 August: T3 Liverpool Line and T2 Campbelltown Line.
23 August: Line T1 Blue Mountains and Newcastle.
August 25: City center services including the city circle.
August 31: Most train lines.
Travelers are advised to allow additional travel time. (Kate Geraghty)
Buses will operate as normal on strike days.
What to expect on strike days?
Travelers are being asked to allow extra travel time or avoid trains if a strike is planned on their line.
The union, however, said there should be little impact on the public.
“There’s no reason why, with a little planning and common sense, trains can’t continue to run relatively quietly while our actions take place,” Claassens said.
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