More train chaos this week

Thousands of Central Coast commuters have been warned to prepare for commuter chaos this week with continued strike action expected across the rail network.

While the network was running close to timetable early on Monday, February 17, with minimal delays and a small number of cancellations, more disruptions were expected throughout the day and through the week ahead of a Fair Work Commission hearing on Wednesday.

Passengers are being advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time.

On the weekend of February 14-16, 1,525 train drivers and guards did not report for work resulting in 3,935 Sydney Trains services being cancelled or delayed.

Parents of school children who would normally catch the train are advised to arrange alternative travel if possible, and schools have been notified of the disruption.

Member for Terrigal Adam Crouch said the continued strike action on the rail network was unacceptable for Central Coast commuters and the Government’s lack of response was  “a shambles”.

“Yet again we are seeing thousands of Central Coast commuters seriously impacted by strikes thanks to the appalling behaviour of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) and the Minns Labor Government’s abject failure to support our commuters,” he said.

“Together, the RTBU and the Government are forcing commuters to endure an even longer commute, and in some cases, leaving many stranded all together.”

Crouch said the entire situation was made worse by the Government’s response, or lack of, in the face of union pressure.

The RTBU has urged the Government to tone down its attacks on rail workers and to provide commuters with certainty about their rail services this week.

The call follows a ruling by the Fair Work Commission on Sunday, February 16, which sided with the union, rejecting the Government’s claims that rail workers were taking improper sick leave.

RTBU NSW Secretary Toby Warnes said the decision meant that unless the NSW Government dropped its threats to lock out workers and dock their pay the state’s commuters would be forced to deal with the same level of uncertainty this week.

“The Government needs to give certainty to commuters and workers,” he said.

“It could do that simply by stopping its outrageous threats to lock out workers and dock their pay.

“Rail workers are ready and willing to work.

“As the Fair Work Commission very clearly found, there is no co-ordinated plan not to turn up to work.

“The Government is responsible for the uncertainty we experienced on Friday and it will be responsible for any uncertainty we experience this week.

“We are urging the Government to come back to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

Warnes said the Government strategy involved finding legal loopholes to avoid sitting in a room and negotiating a fair agreement with workers.

“The Government has lost every single legal case it’s brought forward so far,” he said.

“All of this time and taxpayer money would be much better spent on sitting down in a room and actually negotiating an agreement.”

Warnes said while commuter frustration and anger was valid, abusing frontline workers was not the answer.

“Commuters are rightly very frustrated,” he said.

“We completely understand because we’re frustrated too.

“The Government’s ongoing attempts to deliberately whip up anger towards frontline workers are as dangerous as they are disappointing, and innocent frontline workers are feeling the impact.

“It’s not the train guard, train cleaner or customer service attendant you see on the platforms that is to blame for the current uncertainty – it’s the politicians and managers.”