Multiple unions are involved in the negotiations for a new enterprise agreement, to replace the one that expired in May 2021.Ī separate fight continues over modifications to a fleet of mothballed Korean-built intercity trains the union believes is not yet safe to operate in the NSW rail network. “We’ve actually guaranteed them peace until the end of September, or until the enterprise agreement gets voted up, whichever comes first,” Mr Claassens said on Tuesday.
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Rail, Tram and Bus Union NSW secretary Alex Claassens promised the month of targeted rolling stoppages and bans would be suspended on Wednesday and said September would be free of industrial action on the NSW rail network. “Work from home or avoid the trip on the train tomorrow.” “Avoid all unnecessary travel and leave the capacity that is available on trains for those that really need it,” Mr Longland told Sydney radio 2GB on Tuesday. The T5 Cumberland line and and the T7 Olympic Park line will have no services. The strikes come as travellers at British airports experience chaotic delays and last-minute cancellations due to staff shortages, while the health service is teetering under the pressure of long waiting lists built up during the pandemic.Train services would be reduced to about a half-hour frequency on most lines, he said. The government says it will now change the law quickly to make train operators provide a minimum service on strike days, and allow employers to hire temporary staff. The outbreak of industrial action has drawn comparison with the 1970s, when Britain faced widespread labour strikes that culminated in the 1978-79 "winter of discontent". The BBC reported that further talks were due on Wednesday but even an agreement would not prevent further disruption on Thursday. The government, criticised for not being involved in the talks, says unions must resolve it directly with employers. The RMT seeks a pay rise of at least 7% for its members, but it has said Network Rail offered 2%, with another 1% linked to industry reforms the union opposes. Retail intelligence company Springboard said footfall in British high streets was down 8.5% compared to last week, and down 27% in central London.īritain's railways were effectively nationalised in the pandemic, with train operating companies paid a fixed fee to run services, while the tracks and infrastructure are managed by state-owned Network Rail. The government says it is supporting millions of the poorest households but warns that above-inflation pay rises would damage the economy and prolong the problem. Inflation has soared across Europe on the back of a major rise in energy costs and Britain is not alone in facing strikes.Īction over the cost of living in Belgium caused disruption at Brussels Airport on Monday, while Germany's most powerful union is pushing for large wage increases and in France President Emmanuel Macron is facing unrest over pension reforms.īritain's economy initially rebounded strongly from the COVID-19 pandemic but a combination of labour shortages, supply chain disruption, inflation and post-Brexit trade problems has prompted warnings of a recession. "This isn't going to be an isolated occurrence, right?" he said. Leo Rudolph, a 36-year-old lawyer who walked to work, said he would become more disgruntled the longer the dispute holds. Johnson told his cabinet the strikes were "wrong and unnecessary" and said his message to the country was that they needed to be ready to "stay the course" as improvements to the way railways are run were in the public's interest.Ī survey by pollsters YouGov found public opinion divided, with 37% supportive of the action and 45% opposed. Hospital staff said some colleagues slept at work overnight to maintain care. Network Rail said people should not travel by train unless absolutely necessary. "RMT members are leading the way for all workers in this country who are sick and tired of having their pay and conditions slashed by a mixture of big business profits and government policy," Mick Lynch, secretary-general of the Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT), said. Unions have said the rail strikes could mark the start of a "summer of discontent" with teachers, medics, waste disposal workers and even barristers heading for industrial action as inflation pushes 10%.
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