Sydney’s train network will experience a complete shutdown from Thursday night to Sunday morning as rail workers go on strike. The Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) is taking the industrial action after negotiations with the New South Wales (NSW) government over pay and conditions failed, as reported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
The RTBU is requesting a 32% pay rise over four years and a 35-hour working week. The government has offered a 9.5% pay rise over three years
The strike is set to begin at 10pm on Thursday and continue until 6am on Sunday, affecting all Sydney inter-city and suburban train lines. Transport minister Jo Haylen said the government’s proposal to run a 24-hour service between Hornsby and Strathfield was rejected by the union.
RTBU secretary Toby Warnes criticised the government’s negotiation tactics saying, “We’ve seen the transport minister come out three times in the last 24 hours, which is more times the NSW government has negotiated with us.” He added, “All we’re doing is calling on the government to come back to the negotiating table and get this deal done.”
The strike is likely to disrupt commuters significantly. Transport for NSW is arranging extra buses as alternatives but admits these won’t fully replace the train network’s capacity.
Passengers are advised to avoid peak travel times and consider alternative transport arrangements. Major events scheduled for the weekend, including Pearl Jam concerts at Sydney Olympic Park, will be impacted, and attendees are urged to plan accordingly.