00:00Relief at Central Station after the government watered off industrial action on a busy weekend
00:08of footy.
00:09A complete relaxation of any of the bans put on by the rail, tram and bus union.
00:16Passengers enjoyed free travel, a move that nullified the union's demand for 50 cent fares.
00:22Everything is so expensive these days, it's just nice for the government to actually open
00:25up the public transport system.
00:28Not a need for the industrial action, not at all, not at all.
00:31All of us are having to put up with the cost of living.
00:34Late yesterday the union lifted work bans blocking the conversion of the T3 Bankstown
00:38line for the Metro.
00:40In return the government committed to employing a staff member on every train and platform
00:45on the South West line, just like in the city section of the Metro, but more than on the
00:50North West line which has staff on every second train.
00:53A weak Premier and a weak government have capitulated to a bully union.
00:58I completely reject that, this is an indication of cooperation and goodwill.
01:02There was compromise on both sides.
01:05The union wanted a qualified train driver on every driverless train.
01:09The workers promised will play more of a customer service role.
01:12They are there to help people get around but they also are trained in an emergency situation.
01:18The deal came too late to avoid delaying the first phase of the Bankstown line shutdown
01:23which was due this weekend, but the Minister insists the main closure remains on track
01:28for September 30th.
01:30Rail workers are still pushing for a 32% pay rise over four years.
01:35They're never going to get it, never going to get it, so does that mean that commuters
01:39are going to be held to ransom once more?
01:42An outcome the government has shown it's desperate to avoid.
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