Train commuters in Sydney have been forced to endure travel chaos as industrial action brought the system to a virtual standstill. The government says unions are squeezing the life out of the rail network making for intolerable conditions. And commuters are being warned to brace for things to get worse tomorrow.
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TVTranscript
00:00It's hard to know what's more frustrating, waiting for a train that doesn't come, or
00:07sitting on a train that doesn't move.
00:10We go slowly up, and then it stops, and it goes normal again, and then it just stops
00:15for two hours.
00:16On time running this morning was achieved by just 20 per cent of services.
00:20By the end of the day, cancellations will have reached 1,000.
00:25Some commuters say they were stranded for several hours.
00:28It's really frustrating because you've got people who don't drive and who need to rely
00:34on public transport.
00:36They are squeezing the life out of our rail network.
00:41In fact, it is the boa constrictor that the unions boast about.
00:45Now, it is intolerable.
00:47The Rail, Tram and Bus Union implemented a go slow on some parts of the network, limiting
00:52the speeds of some trains, but the government says most of today's chaos came from another
00:57source.
00:58Some of the major impacts today were created by the Electrical Trades Union, and that is
01:02as a result of critical maintenance work that wasn't undertaken last night, at both Bondi
01:07Junction and also at Homebush.
01:10That is the root cause of the major delays we've seen today.
01:13At the heart of the dispute, pay and conditions.
01:16The government's offering 15 per cent over four years, including a super increase.
01:21That's less than half the RTBU's demand, but unions say they're also concerned the proposed
01:26deal could strip them of some of their rights to speak up on safety.
01:30Removal of this clause, we fear, would lead to worse safety outcomes for people across
01:35Sydney.
01:36After months of uncertainty, commuters are beyond weary.
01:40I feel cranky with both sides really, because I just think it's the people that are suffering.
01:47If this action continues in the coming days, we will see similar levels of impact and potentially
01:52it may get worse on Thursday and again on Friday.
01:56More delays will mean more disruption to people's lives and the wider economy, but
02:00the government thinks that damage could help strengthen its case to try to stop this industrial
02:05action in the courts.
02:07We of course continue to work with and talk with the Fair Work Commission, and we will
02:11consider all of our legal avenues, including in the Federal Court.
02:15They should be in court today, and it is the government's inaction in respect of its union
02:21mates which is causing this delay today.
02:25Whatever friendship they had has fast eroded, along with the patience of the public.