The massive delays, cancellations and chaos Sydney train commuters have experienced on Wednesday are likely to continue on Thursday and Friday.
And for those who even made it to work on Wednesday morning, the afternoon commute home is set to be a worse ordeal, with the state government blaming unions.
‘The advice that we’re receiving, particularly from the Electrical Trades Union is that there will be no movement on their work bans this evening, and that these sorts of delays that we’ve seen today will continue into the day tomorrow,’ Sydney Trains chief executive Matt Longland said.
‘So we’re asking everyone to plan ahead. If you do need to travel tomorrow, keep up to date with the latest information.
‘Use the travel apps to look at other modes of public transport that might be suitable to ensure that you can complete your trip in the most efficient way as possible.’
Mr Longland said if maintenance work at Gosford is not completed tonight as planned, there could be even more delays on the Central Coast line on Thursday.
The train journey home on Wednesday afternoon and evening is likely to be worse than this morning, with 80 per cent of services either cancelled or delayed.
The NSW Government is looking at legal options over what it said are ‘intolerable’ union work bans, which have come amid a long-running pay dispute.
‘By the end of the day, we’ll see more than 1,000 train services cancelled, including significant delays. We are seeing the situation get worse across the network,’ Transport Minister Jo Haylen said.
‘As we look towards the afternoon and evening, the scenario is going to get worse in terms of train and crew availability, and we also see some inclement weather on the horizon, which may make afternoon travel even more difficult,’ Transport for NSW Secretary Josh Murray said.
The Bureau of Meteorology backed this up, saying there is a ‘very high chance of showers in the late afternoon and evening, the chance of a thunderstorm in the afternoon and evening, possibly severe’.
The train services have been cancelled due to the actions of members of two unions, leading to widespread disruption throughout the day.
Authorities said members of the Electrical Trades Union failed to undertake critical maintenance at two key areas of the train network on Tuesday evening – at Homebush and Bondi Junction, sparking significant delays.
For the services that were running, Rail, Tram and Bus Union members deliberately drove trains slower on the tracks – cutting speeds by 23km/h on lines where trains usually travel 80km/h.
By 6.30am, hundreds of train services had already been cancelled, with many more delayed, causing significant disruption as hundreds of thousands of workers tried to get to work.
Transport for NSW said the rail network faced more than 350 industrial action bans.
‘Expect delays and cancellations on Sydney Trains, Intercity and NSW TrainLink services due to ongoing protected industrial action,’ Sydney Trains wrote on X.
‘Allow extra travel time and consider all your transport options.
Transport NSW said ‘Passengers should expect delays, service cancellations and large service gaps, particularly on the T1 North Shore and Western, T4 Eastern Suburbs and Illawarra, T8, Airport and South lines.
‘These impacts will have a flow-on effect across the network.’
The NSW government’s long-running battle with the state’s train drivers has seen them offer the union a 14 per cent pay rise.
But unions have stayed firm in their demands, calling for a significant pay increase, a 35-hour work week and a 1 per cent increase to their superannuation.
Eight-months into negotiations for a new pay deal, Ms Haylen said the government offered rail workers a 13 per cent pay hike plus 1 per cent super rise over four years.
But that offer was less than half the combined rail unions’ demands of a 32 per cent pay increase over four years (eight per cent annually).
Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Toby Warnes said the union was not impressed with the proposed deal.
‘The current wages offer, which is all we’re really certain on exactly what it looks like, does seem a little light-on,’ Mr Warnes told ABC Radio.
‘(The) disrespect that has been levelled against them, that does have an impact on how commuters see our members, it’s not nice, and we’d like to see the government shift that rhetoric, if it wants us to sit down and properly consider this offer.’
But Ms Haylen said ‘This is a fair and reasonable offer that represents a real increase in take-home pay.
‘I would ask that (workers) consider it and ideally support it so we can end this dispute and return our train network to an operation I know you are proud to operate.’
Sydney Trains has set a Thursday deadline for the unions to provide an in-principle response to the offer.
Wednesday’s action is just one of eight strikes the RTBU has planned as part of its industrial action.