Sydney commuters and businesses have reacted with relief after rail workers were ordered to suspend industrial action. Th rail union says they will not appeal their loss at the Fair Work Commission. The Minns government insists there is enough time to close a pay deal, even though the pause in disruption is shorter than it wanted.
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00:00The break in hostilities was celebrated by those caught in the middle.
00:07It's fantastic. It certainly helps my daily commute, that's for sure.
00:09It makes it easier to get to and from school.
00:11It just stops everyone from being late everywhere.
00:13The government won an order suspending industrial action on the rail network until July, but not September as it had argued for.
00:21This is the longest duration ever awarded by the court.
00:24It gives us clear air to have the discussions that we now need to come to a fair deal.
00:30The Fair Work Commission criticised what followed last week's collapse of negotiations over a bonus payment.
00:36Instead of the parties maturely seeking to work through this problem, there was an immediate resort to disruptive industrial action.
00:43The full bench added,
00:45The mutual recrimination suggests that further protected industrial action may result in the parties moving further apart.
00:52Yeah, look, we're disappointed.
00:55Also disputed was the nature of so-called 471 notices sent to employees,
01:00saying they wouldn't be paid for any work on a day they took part in a partial work ban.
01:05The Commission found the union's descriptions were untrue.
01:09Lockout notices. Lockout notices.
01:11I hope that eventually you guys will start reporting that this is a lockout.
01:15The tribunal found these false characterisations led to some members taking matters into their own hands
01:21and organising industrial action beyond that authorised.
01:24No, look, I maintain it was a lockout. I'm not going to go back on that,
01:28even if it's not a technical lockout according to the President.
01:31The government says it remains committed to giving commuters a day of free travel in response to a network meltdown last month.
01:38Meanwhile, Business NSW Research has put a price on the economic damage.
01:43Since 1 January, it's cost the economy around $100 million, these rail strikes.
01:47A mediation session is scheduled for next Friday.