The New South Wales transport minister is calling on rail unions to end industrial action amid hundreds of cancellations across the train network on Saturday, saying “no level of disturbance or disruption” over the new year period is “tolerable”.
But the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) said it had given “ample” notice periods of their actions to allow the trains operators to “make alternative arrangements”.
Close to 40% of train services were expected to be cancelled or delayed on Saturday, according to the transport minister, Jo Haylen, with warnings for people to avoid non-essential travel.
The Sydney Trains CEO, Matthew Longland, said more than 350 train services would be cancelled throughout the day, with major delays on the T1, T2, T3 and T8 lines, along with on the Sydney airport lines.
Longland urged commuters to avoid non-essential travel on the rail network today, and to consider other modes of transport such as bus, tram, light rail or the Metro.
Longland said people heading to the airport or to major events – including the Randwick races and Saturday night’s Carols in the Domain – should travel early or consider another mode of transport.
On Saturday, the RTBU said “Sydney Trains and NSW Trains were provided with ample notice periods for all industrial action to allow for them to make alternative arrangements”.
“Yet it is clear by today’s delays and cancellations that those arrangements have not been made,” the RTBU said in a statement.
Commuters were warned on Thursday to expect “very significant” disruptions in the lead-up to Christmas and New Year’s Eve, after the federal court dismissed the Minns government’s attempt to stop the industrial action.
Sydney New Year’s Eve fireworks could also be cancelled due to the train strike, the police commissioner said on Friday, warning that the force couldn’t risk 250,000 people being “trapped in the city” with no way home.
The RTBU said their right to take industrial action does not include cancelling trains on New Year’s Eve.
“Safety for both commuters and public transport workers is always our number one priority,” it said.
The union’s state secretary, Toby Warnes, had on Friday insisted that the actions planned for New Year’s Eve would not result in 50% fewer services, as he had previously suggested. Warnes said on Friday that the effects of industrial action would be minimal on 31 December because 40% more staff were rostered on anyway as a buffer.
Haylen said the action was having a “significant and real impact on people” and should end.
“Imagine this kind of impact with services cancelled or delayed on New Year’s Eve,” she said.
“People need to be able to celebrate with their families. They need to be able to get where they want, where they need to go. Families need to be able to get on with their holidays. Workers need to be able to get to work, and businesses need certainty.”
Haylen said months have gone into preparing for “the biggest transport event of the year, and it requires 3,600 train services over a 46-hour continuous period of service”.
The government will have an application to suspend or terminate the industrial action heard in the Fair Work Commission on Tuesday, arguing it will risk community safety and cause economic harm. Haylen said businesses have also made up to six applications in the Fair Work Commission.
