Graham Forster- from the other side of the Globe-Sydney trains expected to return to normal Monday — abc.net.au/news
Ashley Roper, ABC News Sydney.
A late afternoon emergency meeting and expectations weren’t high: “another day at the negotiating table.” But an hour and a half later, the union boss and the minister emerged together.
It was actually a robust but very positive, energetic meeting we’re all now going to move in the same direction. And we’re going to try and do what we need to do so we can get our good system up and running.
There is no promise that train services will run as normal on Monday, that’s despite the union still intending to go ahead with a fortnight of industrial action. And its plans are very similar to what led to the government shutting down the network last month.
“We’ve given a commitment, we’re going to try and pull back on the ones that they were really, really concerned about.”
The Union too will discuss the possibility of removing all action. As for the fight over free fares on Friday, is an agreement of sorts.
We both believe that there’s probably a much better ways of doing business when it comes to free options.
Today’s meeting coincided with increased scrutiny over rail projects. The opposition questions whether the metro to the new airport will be ready in time, boring machines will only get in the ground next year. There is an acknowledgment from the government that demands for material and labor could further blow out the construction costs of the metro through the city and southwest. It’s just unclear by how much.
“We’re seeing the impact of Omicron. And obviously, a tight labor market that’s flowing through to the costs that the government and the taxpayer required to pay for these projects.”
“The government needs to get a handle on the transport portfolio and on these major infrastructure projects. At the end of the day, it’s not
their money.”
“After the commuter chaos and turmoil within the government over the train shut down just three weeks ago. This was a high stakes meeting for the Transport Minister, David Elliot, a piece who brokered a peace deal for now. And there’ll be six weeks of intensive negotiations to try to reach a long term agreement.
“Now that I’ve been tasked with working 24/7 You can reach me at three o’clock in the morning. If he feels that he’s not getting the service levels that he deserves.
It seems services are improving for everyone.
Ashley Roper, ABC News Sydney