Commuters across Sydney and parts of the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) have been warned to expect delays on public transport due to a strike planned throughout the week.
The industrial action, decided on by the nation’s peak transport union, the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union (RTBU), would see peak-hour services reduced by 50 percent from Tuesday ramping up to up to 75 percent by the end of the week.
The strike came following a dispute over a new fleet of trains to be rolled out across Sydney’s train network, which the RTBU has raised concerns about their safety.
“The sticking point for us is and always will be the safety of the rail network … And unfortunately, what they’ve done is they’ve offered us a bribe to run the new intercity fleet the way it is without modifications,” said RTBU State Secretary Alex Claassens on Friday after the union was unable to come to an agreement with the government.
NSW Transport Minister David Elliott told local radio 2GB on Monday morning that he was disappointed with the union’s decision.
“These are negotiations, and I am more disappointed they are taking actions whilst an offer is before them,” he said.
In February, Sydney’s entire rail network was shut down due to a dispute between the union and the NSW government.
Photo taken on March 18, 2022 shows vivid light on Harbour Bridge in Sydney, Australia, as part of the Sydney Harbour Bridge 90th anniversary celebration.Photo:Xinhua
