Monday’s interruptions are expected to be minor, but Tuesday’s “slow going” would mean only 50 percent of regular maximum services will work. Significant delays are also expected for long distance and regional services, and customers are advised to travel only in essential circumstances.
Thursday’s action could reduce train services by up to 70 percent during peak periods, and Friday’s action is expected to reduce services by up to 75 percent.
Replacement buses will operate in some areas with limited capacity, and passengers on regional train services are expected to be contacted to warn of delays.
Howard Collins, director of transportation operations for NSW, said passengers should make sure they have a safety plan for essential travel.
Alex Claassens, secretary of the NSW Railways, Trams and Bus Union, said workers never want to take labor action, but that the NSW government “seems determined to force us into this position”.
Loading
“All we want is for the government to meet the basic security and labor issues we’ve been talking about for many months,” Claassens said. “This has always been a safety issue for us.”
In a statement, Transport and Veterans Minister David Elliott and Finance and Employee Relations Minister Damien Tudehope said on Friday that a new business deal had been offered to railway workers, after an intense trading period.
“The offer includes improved conditions and subsidies, additional leave benefits and higher salaries for additional tasks and productivity benefits associated with the NSW TrainLink fleet,” the ministers said.
“It is based on putting the Mariyung fleet into service as soon as possible so that passengers can benefit from the enhanced customer experience, accessibility and safety features of these state-of-the-art trains.”
The union has previously expressed concern about the fleet, including blind spots on CCTV cameras, which could cause guards to not be able to see anyone fall into the gap between the train and the platform.
Elliott and Tudehope said the government had called for the withdrawal of industrial action, with the government awaiting “a friendly resolution of these negotiations”.