December 23rd 2024.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union has expressed their frustration with the ongoing threat of canceling Sydney's popular New Year's Eve fireworks. NSW Premier Chris Minns has again raised the possibility of scrapping the event if planned strike action is not called off. This has been deemed an "outrageous" scare tactic by the union.
Currently, the Fair Work Commission is reviewing whether or not to allow the strike to proceed, with a decision expected tomorrow. Minns has argued that the union's demands for an 8% pay increase each year for four years are simply not sustainable. He believes that such a raise would result in a 17% increase in fares for passengers.
In response, the RTBU has offered to postpone major strike action until January 7th, as long as the government meets two conditions. The first is to withdraw their submissions from the commission, and the second is to approve free public transportation for NSW residents until a new enterprise agreement is reached. However, both Minns and Transport Minister Jo Haylen have dismissed this offer as a mere "stunt."
Minns has admitted that he had previously agreed to fare-free periods during negotiations with the union, but it did not help in resolving the dispute. He stated, "I'm not going to make the same mistake three times." He also mentioned that if the government's attempt to block the strike is unsuccessful, there are still other options on the table, although he did not specify what those options are.
Union secretary Toby Warnes has stated that they will give the government until 10am tomorrow morning to accept their offer, which coincides with the Fair Work Commission hearing. He also reassured the public that the Sydney New Year's Eve fireworks will not be canceled. He called the threat of cancellation an "outrageous stunt" to scare the people of NSW and assured that there will be trains and all other types of transportation available on that night.
Warnes also clarified that if the government agrees to their proposed enterprise agreement, union workers will not be able to take any further industrial action. He stated, "If the premier comes today and makes an enterprise agreement, I want to make something clear... we [would not] be able to take industrial action with an enterprise agreement in place."
Despite this, a spokesperson for the state government has stated that agreeing to the union's conditions would cost millions of dollars that they simply do not have. They also mentioned that if they did implement free public transportation, it would have to be paid for by the residents in some other form. Hence, they believe it is not a feasible option.
The government has stated that they will keep all legal options on the table to avoid disrupting travel during the holiday season. It has been estimated that making public transportation free across the state could cost $127 million per month. In the meantime, people can stay updated by downloading the 9News app, which provides the latest news on breaking events, sports, politics, and weather, with notifications sent directly to their smartphone. The app is available on both the Apple App Store and Google Play.
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