Another public transport crisis was averted after workers in Sydney and NSW Trains voted to adopt their recent enterprise agreement. Both agreements – one for NSW Trains employees and the other for Sydney Trains workers – are now subject to fair work approval. The Secretary of State of the Railway, Tram and Bus Union Alex Claassens welcomed the agreement for railway workers, but said he was still disappointed by the way the state government is handling the issue. Credit: Daniel Munoz The result came on Saturday night, after the return of a postal vote, where 52.8% of Sydney Trains workers voted for the deal and 50.8 percent of NSW Trains employees also voted in favour. The agreement provides that they will each receive an annual salary increase of 3 per cent over three years, as well as a one-time payment of 1000 $US and seven days of paid domestic violence leave. Despite the result, the railway, tram and bus union was unimpressed by the offer, accusing Transport Minister Andrew Constance of the “stress” caused by the negotiations. “The Minister of Transport should look at this result and ask himself what he is going to do to repair the chaos he has put himself in,” he said. Fairfax Media sought Minister Constance`s advice. “It wasn`t easy for anyone. The workers had to fight tooth and nail to get to this point. “It is a good thing that workers have at least certainty about their working conditions and wages at least now.
This is far from an overwhelming vote,” said Alex Claassens, the union`s secretary of state.