300 work bans suspended after Fair Work Commission ruling on NSW train strikes
Industrial action that has crippled Australia’s busiest train network has been suspended after a last-ditch court application spared more commuter pain.
Background of the Issue
Some 1900 trains were cancelled on Wednesday while another 1000 services were expected to be scrapped on Thursday as NSW rail workers ratcheted up industrial bans to force a bumper pay rise.
An urgent Fair Work Commission hearing late on Thursday paid dividends for the state government, with president Adam Hatcher delivering an interim order suspending the 300-plus work bans.
A full bench of the commission will on Wednesday rule on the government’s bid to halt the bans immediately and have the industrial umpire resolve the months-long impasse, with the action scrapped in the meantime.
Government’s Response
Premier Chris Minns, who cut short his summer break to handle the latest development in the state’s eight-month rail crisis, said officials were forced daily to unpick hundreds of actions to run basic services.
“That’s a joke,” he said.
“You can’t run a public transport system in an international city like Sydney, where every morning you have to work out whether running a simple service from Hurstville to Bondi Junction trips up three, four or 10 different industrial bans.
“We don’t know how many small businesses have been smashed because of 50 per cent of trains not running.”
Union’s Response
Earlier, the Rail Tram and Bus Union called the government’s application “nothing more than a desperate attempt to shift the blame for its own failure to negotiate with workers”.
“It engages in cheap political tricks designed at achieving headlines, pays law firms top dollar to bring bogus legal cases and anything else it can to avoid sitting at the bargaining table,” the union said.
NSW train drivers appear unlikely to accept a marginally increased pay offer of 15 per cent across four years but their union has until the end of the day to provide an initial response to the government.
Impacts on Commuters
Commuter data shows the travelling public ditched rail where they could after navigating long delays on Wednesday morning.
Trips during Wednesday afternoon peak were down 40 per cent while trains were “very lightly loaded” on Thursday morning, Sydney Trains boss Matthew Longland said.
Fewer than three in 10 morning peak trains ran on time.
Next Steps
Options for refunds or allowing a free travel day were being considered after the premier said fares paid by inconvenienced commuters should be refunded.
Sydney Trains has defended docking the pay of workers not completing full tasks, such as crews choosing to staff only half as many inter-city services as normal.
Conclusion
The ongoing rail crisis in NSW has caused significant disruptions to commuters and businesses alike, with both the government and the union at odds over pay rises and work bans. The recent suspension of over 300 work bans marks a temporary relief for commuters, but the underlying issues still need to be resolved through negotiations and arbitration.
FAQs
1. What led to the suspension of work bans on the NSW train network?
The suspension of work bans was a result of an urgent Fair Work Commission hearing that granted an interim order to halt the bans temporarily.
2. How have commuters been affected by the ongoing rail crisis?
Commuters have faced extensive delays, cancellations, and overcrowded trains due to the industrial action taken by NSW rail workers.