
URGENT talks in the Fair Work Commission today failed to stop a statewide dispute between freight rail company Pacific National and the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, meaning few, if any, of the company's coal and grain trains will run on Friday.
The dispute involving some 850 train drivers began after midnight on Wednesday night, but its impacts were dampened by an existing closure of the freight rail system between Narrabri and Newcastle, meaning that no trains were running anyway.