The state Labor government denies it has beholden to unions after making a concession to get Sydney Metro back on track. Industrial action threatening to delay the projects next stage was cancelled when the transport minister agreed to putting staff on board automated trains.
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00:00Relief at Central Station after the government watered off industrial action on a busy weekend
00:08of footy.
00:09A complete relaxation of any of the bans put on by the rail, tram and bus union.
00:16Passengers enjoyed free travel, a move that nullified the union's demand for 50 cent fares.
00:22Everything is so expensive these days, it's just nice for the government to actually open
00:25up the public transport system.
00:28Not a need for the industrial action, not at all, not at all.
00:31All of us are having to put up with the cost of living.
00:34Late yesterday the union lifted work bans blocking the conversion of the T3 Bankstown
00:38line for the Metro.
00:40In return the government committed to employing a staff member on every train and platform
00:45on the South West line, just like in the city section of the Metro, but more than on the
00:50North West line which has staff on every second train.
00:53A weak Premier and a weak government have capitulated to a bully union.
00:58I completely reject that, this is an indication of cooperation and goodwill.
01:02There was compromise on both sides.
01:05The union wanted a qualified train driver on every driverless train.
01:09The workers promised will play more of a customer service role.
01:12They are there to help people get around but they also are trained in an emergency situation.
01:18The deal came too late to avoid delaying the first phase of the Bankstown line shutdown
01:23which was due this weekend, but the Minister insists the main closure remains on track
01:28for September 30th.
01:30Rail workers are still pushing for a 32% pay rise over four years.
01:35They're never going to get it, never going to get it, so does that mean that commuters
01:39are going to be held to ransom once more?
01:42An outcome the government has shown it's desperate to avoid.