Sydney Trains services cancelled: Commuter chaos as rail union industrial action escalates

Hundreds of Sydney Train services have been cancelled due to the actions of members of two NSW unions, leading to widespread disruption for commuters throughout the city.

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.

Meanwhile, for the services that were running, the 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 on Wednesday, 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 over 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.’ 

Frustrated commuters crammed into the train services that were not cancelled (pictured)

Hundreds of Sydney Train services were cancelled on Wednesday morning due to the rail union strikes

Transport for NSW warned customers of ‘large service gaps’ across the network – naming the lines most affected.   

‘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,’ Transport NSW said. 

‘These impacts will have a flow-on effect across the network.’ 

‘Critical maintenance at Bondi and Homebush could not be completed overnight, leading to significant delays on key lines.

‘Support from the Combined Rail Unions was requested to complete critical overnight maintenance at Bondi and Homebush, which was not provided, resulting in essential infrastructure booked out of use, creating significant delays.

Service cancellations and disruptions are also affecting the Bathurst Bullet, with buses replacing one daily round trip between Lithgow and Bathurst. 

‘In addition, work bans at the Rail Operations Centre may make managing the impacts challenging, and we expect cancellations and delays to compound throughout this week.

‘Buses will support train services on some lines in the off peak where possible, and Metro will operate on an increased 4-minute frequency.

‘Passengers are urged to delay non-essential travel, leave plenty of additional travel time, and plan ahead by checking the latest updates on transportnsw.info and live travel apps.’

Transport for NSW said the rail network faced over 350 industrial action bans

Commuters have been warned to expect delays as operating services will also run at a slower speed 

Sydney Trains Chief Executive Matt Longland told 2GB the Electrical Trades Union (ETU) was largely to blame for the disruption. 

He explained the ETU prevented overnight critical maintenance and safety work from being completed at Bondi Junction and Homebush, which affected ‘multiple lines’. 

‘As a result, we’ve got multiple signals around Bondi, about seven or eight, that are at red, meaning trains must stop and trip past those signals,’ Mr Longland told 2GB.

‘Similarly, there are around 10 signals at Homebush showing a red aspect. This process takes time and causes cascading delays across the network.’ 

‘At the moment, we’re seeing major delays on the T1 Western Line and the T8 line. We are concerned that these delays will cascade across other lines later in the morning.’

Outraged Aussies unleashed their frustrations over the train delays on social media. 

‘Sydney Trains ready to stuff up everyone’s day yet again,’ one said.

‘I’m looking at the train app, it’s looking like every second train is cancelled,’ another told 2GB.

‘I caught the train from Penrith earlier this morning, got to Strathfield at 6.15am, had enough, got off there and now taking a taxi to the domestic airport,’ a third added.

A fourth chimed: ‘Will the union pay for the taxi bill?’

The union has remained firm in its demands, calling for a significant pay increase, a 35-hour work week and a 1 per cent increase to their superannuation.  

The NSW government’s long-running battle with the state’s train drivers has seen them offer the union a 14 per cent pay bump.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen announced the government offered rail workers a 13 per cent pay rise plus 1 per cent super rise across four years – which is less than half the union’s demands

Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Toby Warnes (pictured) indicated the union was unimpressed with the proposed deal

Eight-months into negotiations for a new pay deal, Transport Minister Jo Haylen announced the government offered rail workers a 13 per cent pay rise plus 1 per cent super rise across four years. 

However the 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 indicated the union was unimpressed 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.’

The government had previously refused to budge from its initial, public sector-wide pay offer, but it said a merger between NSW’s two rail bodies and ‘productivity gains’ – which the union tipped to include 100 job cuts – allowed for the slight bump.

The offer includes a one per cent rise in superannuation, which is mandatory for all workers.

‘This is a fair and reasonable offer that represents a real increase in take-home pay,’ Transport Minister Jo Haylen told reporters on Tuesday.

‘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 union 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 their industrial action. 

Transport for NSW has issued a warning to commuters to expect ‘significant delays’ as the industrial action intensifies towards the end of the week.  

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