A temporary ceasefire in the bitter pay dispute that threatened train services for Sydney’s New Year’s Eve fireworks has been brokered at the 11th hour between the NSW government and rail unions.
Just an hour after a Fair Work hearing started on Tuesday, the government dropped its bid seeking the umpire’s intervention to suspend or terminate industrial action by rail workers in return for unions dropping some of their major actions. The industrial action had threatened to limit services on New Year’s Eve, putting the city’s annual party at risk over fears for crowd safety.
The hearing was adjourned shortly after it started on Christmas Eve before both returned with concessions which were accepted.
The pay dispute has become increasingly bitter as the state Labor government and its traditional allies in the union movement escalate attacks on one another.
Lawyer Leo Saunders, who represented the rail unions, said they had committed to no new industrial action that posed a threat to train services on New Year’s Eve, while the Electrical Trades Union had agreed to withdraw a series of bans.
Late on Monday night, the Rail Tram and Bus Union agreed to withdraw six bans, including limits on the distance train crews can travel, while two others would no longer come into effect on December 28 as planned.
More to come
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