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7th July 2008, 10:01
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NSW rail strike during World Youth Day
Monday, 7 July, 2008
A threatened rail strike in Sydney on the day of the Pope's official arrival has been labelled "industrial terror" by the NSW government.
NSW rail unions are threatening to shut down trains on July 17 - the day hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Sydney for the busiest day of the Catholic Church's World Youth Day event.
IN DEPTH: More on World Youth Day (http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/worldyouthday)
July 17 has been dubbed Super Thursday by event organisers, with Pope Benedict XVI due to make his official arrival in the city via a boat-a-cade on Sydney Harbour, before touring central Sydney in his Popemobile.
RailCorp says it expects to move about 700,000 commuters on that day alone, in what is shaping up to be the "biggest day ever" for Sydney's public transport system.
The Rail Tram and Bus Union's (RTBU) threatened 24-hour stoppage is a dramatic escalation of its wage dispute with the NSW government.
The state government admits it does not have a contingency plan if the RTBU follows through on its threat, and will tomorrow try to avert the strike in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC).
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has warned the union and its members he will not bow to their demands.
"The government will not be blackmailed into giving them what they want as a result of these industrial terror tactics," the premier told reporters.
"The threat to embarrass the state on one of the most important days in our recent history will not cut ice with the government."
Mr Iemma said a 24-hour rail strike would cause "wholesale disruption" to the city while the world's focus was on Sydney.
A World Youth Day spokesman said organisers were "confident" the NSW government would resolve the matter.
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said striking during World Youth Day was "irresponsible" and unlikely to achieve the union's desired outcome.
But RTBU NSW secretary Nick Lewocki said rail workers had been forced into action because the government had repeatedly failed to offer a fair pay increase.
The union wants a five per cent increase, while the government has offered four per cent as long as savings can be made elsewhere.
"Rail workers are family people, they understand the importance of the day," Mr Lewocki said.
"But again we ask the commuters, the public out there, to understand you can't have frontline public sector essential workers being told they need to take a pay cut and cut back services.
"It just doesn't wash."
Mr Lewocki said rail workers knew they had a responsibility to the people, adding he could not remember when the last rail strike was held.
The NSW Business Chamber said a 24-hour strike during the Pope's visit would be a "cheap shot" that would hurt business and commuters.
"
Bloody brilliant :D
NSW rail strike during World Youth Day
Monday, 7 July, 2008
A threatened rail strike in Sydney on the day of the Pope's official arrival has been labelled "industrial terror" by the NSW government.
NSW rail unions are threatening to shut down trains on July 17 - the day hundreds of thousands of people are expected in Sydney for the busiest day of the Catholic Church's World Youth Day event.
IN DEPTH: More on World Youth Day (http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/worldyouthday)
July 17 has been dubbed Super Thursday by event organisers, with Pope Benedict XVI due to make his official arrival in the city via a boat-a-cade on Sydney Harbour, before touring central Sydney in his Popemobile.
RailCorp says it expects to move about 700,000 commuters on that day alone, in what is shaping up to be the "biggest day ever" for Sydney's public transport system.
The Rail Tram and Bus Union's (RTBU) threatened 24-hour stoppage is a dramatic escalation of its wage dispute with the NSW government.
The state government admits it does not have a contingency plan if the RTBU follows through on its threat, and will tomorrow try to avert the strike in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC).
NSW Premier Morris Iemma has warned the union and its members he will not bow to their demands.
"The government will not be blackmailed into giving them what they want as a result of these industrial terror tactics," the premier told reporters.
"The threat to embarrass the state on one of the most important days in our recent history will not cut ice with the government."
Mr Iemma said a 24-hour rail strike would cause "wholesale disruption" to the city while the world's focus was on Sydney.
A World Youth Day spokesman said organisers were "confident" the NSW government would resolve the matter.
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said striking during World Youth Day was "irresponsible" and unlikely to achieve the union's desired outcome.
But RTBU NSW secretary Nick Lewocki said rail workers had been forced into action because the government had repeatedly failed to offer a fair pay increase.
The union wants a five per cent increase, while the government has offered four per cent as long as savings can be made elsewhere.
"Rail workers are family people, they understand the importance of the day," Mr Lewocki said.
"But again we ask the commuters, the public out there, to understand you can't have frontline public sector essential workers being told they need to take a pay cut and cut back services.
"It just doesn't wash."
Mr Lewocki said rail workers knew they had a responsibility to the people, adding he could not remember when the last rail strike was held.
The NSW Business Chamber said a 24-hour strike during the Pope's visit would be a "cheap shot" that would hurt business and commuters.
"
Bloody brilliant :D