Minister says union deed ‘off the table’ if industrial action continues after midnight
NSW Transport Minister David Elliott has announced if the RTBU continues to strike after midnight tonight the deed relating to train modifications goes “off the table”.
Transport Minister David Elliott was to spend a day in negotiations with the union, but the Premier’s ordered him to present a new enterprise agreement that does not include a payrise bigger than the current cap.
The Premier wants that then to go to a vote of union members.
If more industrial action happens, their current deal will be torn up and the matter will go to Fair Work Australia for arbitration.
The Rail Union is now reviewing a final offer from the State Government as commuters prepare for peak hour delays on the public transport network.
Transport Minister David Elliott has had a brief meeting with union boss Alex Claassens and handed him the Government’s final offer.
Minister Elliott told Jim Wilson he is calling on Labor Leader Chris Minns to knock back any donations from the rail unions for his election campaign.
“It would be a gross injustice for him to take a million dollars in affiliation with the RTBU.”
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David Elliott is accusing the unions of using the city’s public transport system as part of a political attack.
Rail and bus staff will walk off the job across the city today as month-long industrial action continues.
The leaders sitting on the unions behind the strikes are also part of Labor Party’s Administrative Committee, a group responsible for election campaigns.
Mr Elliott told Ben Fordham the public transport system is being used as a political tool.
“If you needed any evidence at all that this is a coordinated political attack on the government then you just have to look out your front window this morning.”
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Image: Getty/James D. Morgan