Statement on NSW Govt decision to go to Fair Work Commission

Media release, 4 July 2022: The NSW Government has today continued its attack on rail workers and commuters, by taking the Rail, Tram and Bus Union to the Fair Work Commission.

The RTBU received notice that the NSW Government had applied to go to the FWC just before 2pm today.

RTBU NSW Secretary, Alex Claassens said that while the decision to go to the FWC is clearly politically motivated, he is hopefully it might force the government to do the one thing the union has been trying to get them to do – confirm in writing that the safety issues on the New Intercity Fleet will be fixed and that the cost won’t come at the expense of workers’ take-home pay and conditions.

Mr Claassens said the Premier’s rationale for going to the FWC was incredibly disingenuous.

“It’s a bit rich for the person ultimately responsible for the one and only time trains have been stopped at all this year – when the NSW Government shut down the rail network in February – to stand up and say that he wants the inconvenience to commuters to stop,” Mr Claassens said.

“Not a single one of our actions so far this year have stopped trains. Most are designed purely to target management, like today’s action which involves trains sounding their whistles as they leave stations. There hasn’t been a single day when rail workers have gone on strike this year. We’ve been at work every day, fighting for a safe railway.

“We’re hopeful that the Fair Work Commission will be able to get the NSW Government to confirm in writing what its real intentions are so we can finally get the safety issues on the New Intercity Fleet sorted and get back to negotiating a fair enterprise agreement.

“We need to get the safety issues on the New Intercity Fleet sorted so we can then get back to the negotiating table with all the other unions involved and discuss the wages and conditions of the state’s rail workers.

“Rail workers just want safe trains and fair wages and conditions. That shouldn’t be too much to ask.”

A meeting at the Fair Work Commission is expected to be held at 4.30pm today.