The standoff between rail staff and the State Government may be heading towards a conclusion with the Transport Minister conceding ground and offering the Rail, Tram and Bus Union a three per cent annual wage increase.
Union members will vote on the new package next week, but there’s indications it will get across the line – bringing an end to this particular element of the rail crisis.
The new deal includes a three per cent annual pay rise for the next three years, a one-off $1000 payment to each employee and an extension travel pass concessions.
Additional benefits include seven days paid Domestic Violence support leave and arrangements to retail 64 weeks paid redundancy.
See full details of the offer here
Union Secretary Alex Claassens said things were heading in the right direction.
“Workers will now be given the opportunity to hear the details of the new offer at depot meetings over the coming weeks, before determining whether the offer provides them with the better conditions and a fair wage offer that they deserve,” he said.
“All railway workers are asking for is an enterprise agreement that provides them with better conditions and a fair wage offer and to be treated with the respect that they deserve.
“We’ve been doing everything we can to try and resolve this issue for many months now and we will continue to work to ensure the dedicated and hard-working employees at Sydney and NSW Trains get an outcome that they deserve.”
Mr Claassens said Transport Minister Andrew Constance had been “dragging his feet” on the pay and conditions issue.
