BREAKING: Sydney and NSW Trains set to shut down whole Illawarra rail line on Wednesday despite 90% of train crew being available to work

Media release, 8 August 2022: Sydney and NSW Trains have advised that they will refuse to run trains on the Illawarra line on Wednesday, despite approximately 90 per cent of train crew being available to work.

Sydney and NSW Trains management today revealed to the Rail, Tram and Bus Union its intentions to shut down the whole line, leaving commuters stranded – a move the Transport bureaucrats say is in response to rail workers’ taking small scale protected industrial action.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens said the move is a disgraceful response to the union’s protected industrial action, which has been deliberately designed to ensure services could continue to run.

“There is absolutely no reason for the Illawarra line to be shut down on Wednesday. If it is shut down, it will be because Transport bureaucrats have simply decided they don’t want to run the trains, not because they can’t,” Mr Claassens said.

“The protected industrial action being taken by rail workers will, by design, impact very few workers at any one time. There will be approximately 90 per cent of the workforce available to work, which is clearly more than enough to run a service for the people on the Illawarra line.

“The protected industrial action being taken is certainly an inconvenience for management – that was the plan. But by no means is it reason to shut a whole rail line down.

Mr Claassens said he is urging the NSW Government to step in and ensure commuters can access rail services on Wednesday.

“The RTBU has gone to great lengths to ensure that the protected industrial action we take will cause a headache for management and the government, not commuters,” Mr Claassens said.

“Surely the NSW Government can’t sit back and let its bureaucrats decide to leave commuters stranded.”

Mr Claassens said the ongoing protected industrial action being taken by rail workers is the result of the NSW Government’s continued refusal to commit to fixing the New Intercity Fleet’s safety issues – which include, among numerous issues, children not being visible to train guards during crucial moments – without tying it to rail workers’ wages and conditions.

“We don’t want to have to continue to take action, but at the same time we won’t be bullied into accepting an inferior enterprise agreement in order to get safe trains on our network. Commuters and workers deserve safe trains, and rail workers deserve fair wages and conditions.

“This is about keeping commuters safe and simply giving our essential rail workers the basic take-home pay and conditions they deserve.”

Upcoming action includes (see over page for detail of areas and times):

• August 7: ban on transport officers issuing fines and cautions begins
• August 10: strike in area 1, 10am – 4pm
• August 12: ban on cleaners using vacuum cleaners or scrubbing machines
• August 13: station staff to leave all gates open at all times
• August 17: train crew to only operate trains that meet maintenance centre minimum standards
• August 17: strike in area 2, 10am – 4pm
• August 23: strike in area 3, 10am – 4pm
• August 25: strike in area 4, 10am – 4pm
• August 31: ban on operating foreign-made trains

A full list of actions can be seen at www.ourrightsourfight.com.au.

For further information on the safety issues with the New Intercity Fleet and the history of the NIF situation go to www.ourrightsourfight.com.au

Please note – the strike action in various areas does not mean services cannot run. The actions are designed to ensure services can still be run.

Strike Times by Role

10am – 2pm

Shunters, Drivers, Infrastructure, Transport Officers, Fleet Maintenance, Cleaners

12pm – 4pm

Guards, On-Boarders, Station Staff, Salaried Staff, Shift Managers, Standards and Compliance, Trainers, and all other members not covered in above group

Strike Action Area 1

• Mortdale Maintenance Centre
• Cronulla
• Waterfall
• Wollongong
• Sutherland
• Wollongong
• Sydenham
• Sydenham Depot Base
• Cronulla Stabling Yard
• Waterfall Stabling Yard
• Port Kemble Stabling Yard
• Wollongong Stabling Yard

Bondi Junction	Edgecliff	Kings Cross	Martin Place	Tempe
Wolli Creek	Arncliffe	Banksia	Rockdale	Kogarah
Carlton	Allawah	Hurstville	Penshurst	Mortdale
Oatley	Como	Jannali	Sutherland	Loftus
Kirrawee	Gymea	Miranda	Caringbah	Woolooware
Cronulla	Engadine	Heathcote	Waterfall	Helensburgh
Otford	Stanwell Park	Coalcliff	Scarborough	Wombarra
Coledale	Austinmer	Thirroul	Bulli	Woonona
Bellambi	Corrimal	Towradgi	Fairy Meadow	North Wollongong
Wollongong	Coniston	Unanderra	Kembla Grange	Dapto
Albion Park	Oak Flats	Shellharbour Junction	Minnamurra	Bombo
Kiama	Gerringong	Berry	Bomaderry	Lysaghts
Cringila	Port Kembla North	Port Kembla	Sydenham

Strike Action Area 2

• Flemington Maintenance Centre
• Auburn Stabling Yard
• Leppington Stabling Yard
• Campbelltown
• Moss Vale
• Canberra
• Goulburn
• Junee
• Albury
• Glenfield Network Base
• Strathfield Network Base
• Clyde Network Base
• 322 Parramatta Road, Auburn
• Heavy Plant Depot, Clyde/Auburn
• Clyde Store, Manchester Road
• Rail Operations Centre (not including Network Control)
• George Street, Burwood
• Elsie Street, Burwood
• Clyde Hub
• Auburn Base, Parramatta Road
• Liverpool Stabling Yard
• Campbelltown Stabling Yard
• Moss Vale Stabling Yard

Macdonaldtown	Newtown	Stanmore	Petersham	Lewisham
Summer Hill	Ashfield	Croydon	Burwood	Strathfield
Homebush	Flemington	Lidcombe	Auburn	Clyde
Granville	Berala	Regents Park	Merrylands	Guildford
Yennora	Fairfield	Canley Vale	Cabramatta	Warwick Farm
Liverpool	Casula	Glenfield	Edmondson Park	Leppington
Goulburn	Marulan	Tallong	Wingello	Penrose
Bundanoon	Exeter	Moss Vale	Burradoo	Bowral
Mittagong	Yerrinbool	Bargo	Tahmoor	Picton
Douglas Park	Menangle	Menangle Park	Macarthur	Campbelltown
Leumeah	Minto	Ingleburn	Macquarie Fields
Holsworthy	East Hills	Panania	Revesby	Padstow
Riverwood	Narwee	Beverly Hills	Kingsgrove	Bexley North
Bardwell Park	Turrella	International Airport	Domestic Airport	Mascot
Green Square	Erskineville	St Peters		Marrickville
Dulwich Hill	Hurlstone Park	Canterbury	Campsie	Belmore
Lakemba	Wiley Park	Punchbowl	Bankstown	Yagoona
Birrong	Sefton	Chester Hill	Leightonfield	Villawood
Carramar
Tarago	Bungendore	Queanbeyan	Canberra	Gunning
Yass Junction	Harden	Cootamundra	Junee	Wagga Wagga
The Rock	Henty	Culcairn	Albury	Wangaratta
Benalla	Seymour	Broadmeadows	Melbourne	Coolamon
Narrandera	Leeton	Griffith

Strike Action Area 3

• Newcastle
• Gosford
• Hornsby Maintenance Centre
• North Sydney
• Blacktown
• Richmond
• Penrith
• Mount Victoria
• Lithgow
• Dubbo
• Grafton
• Taree
• Werris Creek
• Blacktown Network Base
• Lawson Network Base
• Hornsby Network Base
• Gosford Network Base
• Hamilton Network Base
• Broadmeadow Maintenance Centre/ Decant
• Hornsby Maintenance Centre/Up Yard
• Hamilton Stabling Yard
• Gosford Stabling Yard
• Blacktown Stabling Yard
• Penrith Stabling Yard
• Mt Victoria Stabling Yard
• Lithgow Stabling Yard

Newcastle Int.	Hamilton	Waratah	Warabrook	Sandgate
Hexham	Tarro	Beresfield	Thornton	Metford
Victoria Street	East Maitland	High Street	Maitland	Telarah
Mindaribba	Paterson	Martins Creek	Hilldale	Wallarobba
Wirragulla	Dungog	Lochinvar	Greta	Branxton
Singleton	Muswellbrook	Aberdeen	Scone	Broadmeadow
Adamstown	Kotara	Cardiff	Cockle Creek	Teralba
Booragul	Fassifern	Awaba	Dora Creek	Morisett
Wyee	Warnervale	Wyong	Tuggerah	Ourimbah
Lisarow	Niagara Park	Narara	Gosford	Point Clare
Tascott	Koolewong	Woy Woy	Hawkesbury River	Mount Kuring-gai
Wondabyne	Cowan	Berowra	Mount Colah	Asquith
Hornsby	Waitara	Wahroonga	Warrawee	Turramurra
Pymble	Gordon	Killara	Lindfield	Roseville
Chatswood	Artarmon	St Leonards	Wollstonecraft	Waverton
North Sydney	Milsons Point	North Strathfield	Concord West	Rhodes
Meadowbank	West Ryde	Denistone	Eastwood	Epping
Cheltenham	Beecroft	Pennant Hills	Thornleigh	Normanhurst
Harris Park	Parramatta	Westmead	Wentworthville	Pendle Hill
Toongabbie	Seven Hills	Blacktown	Marayong	Quakers Hill
Schofields	Riverstone	Vineyard	Mulgrave	Windsor
Clarendon	East Richmond	Richmond	Doonside	Rooty Hill
Mount Druitt	St Marys	Werrington	Kingswood	Penrith
Emu Plains	Lapstone	Glenbrook	Blaxland	Warrimoo
Valley Heights	Springwood	Faulconbridge	Linden	Woodford
Hazelbrook	Lawson	Bullaburra	Wentworth Falls	Leura
Katoomba	Medlow Bath	Blackheath	Mount Victoria	Bell
Zig Zag	Lithgow	Rydal	Tarana	Bathurst
Orange	Stuart Town	Wellington	Geurie	Dubbo
Parkes	Condobolin	Euabalong West	Darnick	Ivanhoe
Menindee	Broken Hill	Murrurundi	Willow Tree	Quirindi
Werris Creek	Tamworth	Kootingal	Walcha Road	Uralla
Armidale	Gunnedah	Boggabri	Narrabri	Bellata
Moree	Gloucester	Wingham	Taree	Kendall
Wauchope	Kempsey	Eungai	Macksville	Nambucca Heads
Urunga	Sawtell	Coffs Harbour	Grafton	Casino
Kyogle	Brisbane

Strike Action Area 4

• Central ETR
• Eveleigh
• Sydney Terminal
• Sydney Regional (Meeks Road)
• CBD Network Base
• Elizabeth Street, Sydney
• Wilson Street, Darlington – Transport Officers
• 477 Pitt Street, Sydney
• Central Station
• Petersham Training College
• Central Decant

Redfern	Central	Town Hall	Wynyard	Circular Quay
St James	Museum