The NSW Government’s decision to waste more taxpayer funds fighting rail workers in court, rather than simply sitting down and negotiating a fair outcome, is disappointing yet expected, rail workers say.

Rail, Tram and Bus Union Secretary, Alex Claassens, said the NSW Government’s announcement today that it is taking further legal action in response to workers’ protected action which would provide commuters with free travel is just further proof the government is more interested in having a political fight than in reaching an agreement.

“The NSW Government has shown time and again that they’re more interested in using taxpayer dollars on legal fees than they are in reaching an agreement that guarantees the safety of commuters,” Mr Claassens said.

“The government is doing everything except sitting down and trying to reach a genuine agreement.

"Turning off the Opal machines and providing commuters with free travel is the kind of protected industrial action we want to take, because we know the only other options available to us do unfortunately tend to result in disruption to commuters.

"Letting the NSW Government get away with putting unsafe trains on our tracks isn’t an option for us, and in the absence of a government committed to listening to the experts on rail safety, we have no choice but to take protected industrial action to try and force them to do the right thing.

“Suggesting that pushing a button to turn an Opal machine off is unsafe is absurd and a bit rich from a government that is insisting on putting trains that risk people’s lives on our tracks.”

Media contact: Bron Matherson, 0438 844 765 or Alana Mew, 0419 929 722