Sydney train shutdown avoided after negotiations between union and NSW government.

The planned train strikes in Sydney will not be happening this weekend, as the union and the NSW government have come to an agreement in their talks. This is a huge relief for commuters, who will be able to catch their trains as usual from tomorrow until Sunday. Additionally, the union has lifted 109 planned work bans for the next two weeks.

It was a tense situation that required the intervention of Premier Chris Minns, who joined the discussions with the Rail, Tram and Bus Union yesterday. The Transport Minister, Jo Haylen, had been unable to convince the union to back down from their planned industrial action. However, Minns was able to come to an agreement with the combined rail unions, ensuring that trains will be operating this weekend.

Minns expressed his satisfaction with the outcome, stating that intensive bargaining will now take place between the union and government to find a long-term pay agreement. He also assured that as many 24-hour train services as possible will run this weekend, in exchange for the dropping of the work bans. He acknowledged that there may have been some inconvenience caused by the uncertainty, and apologized for any inconvenience this may have caused.

On the union's side, Secretary of the RTBU NSW, Toby Warnes, expressed his gratitude towards the premier for his intervention and for agreeing to run trains for 24 hours this weekend, as requested by the union. He also stated that discussions will continue over the next two weeks with the aim of reaching a resolution before Christmas. The main focus will be on the remaining issues in the dispute, including pay.

Transport Minister Jo Haylen also expressed her satisfaction with the outcome, stating that she was pleased an agreement had been reached. She also apologized for the uncertainty caused to Sydneysiders, but stated that it was a better scenario than not having any notice at all. This agreement has averted what could have been a major disruption to the rail network in Sydney, and passengers can now travel with peace of mind.

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