Sydney rail strikes back in the offing as union drags Labor government to court

Protected industrial action that caused chaos for millions of commuters across Sydney’s rail network last year might be back on the cards, as a breakaway union seeks to overturn a court order.

A full bench of the Fair Work Commission ruled in favour in February of a “cooling off period” until July 1, halting all industrial action to focus on negotiations and reaching a final deal.

It came after months of escalating industrial action and brinkmanship between Sydney Trains and NSW Train Link and the Combined Rail Unions, led by the Rail, Tram, and Bus Union.

Earlier this month, the Communications, Electrical, Electronic, Energy, Information, Postal, Plumbing and Allied Services Union applied to the Federal Court to squash the FWC’s order.

The challenge will be heard at an expedited hearing Wednesday.

The union, known as the CEPU, broke away from the Combined Rail Union and the RTBU following February’s FWC decision, and also includes the Electrical Trades Union NSW/ACT.

The CEPU and the RTBU had been seeking a 32 per cent pay rise across four years, but the government has only offered 15 per cent for the same period, as well as the merger of the rail entities.

Prior to the FWC order last month, Premier Chris Minns rejected that he was “giving in” and labelled the industrial action as being “completely outrageous industrial blackmail of Sydney”.

Transport for NSW in a statement said the FWC had found that it was “in the public interest” for industrial action to pause, and that passengers would now have certainty in rail services.

More to come.