NSW: Railworkers prepare for four-hour stoppage

AAP General News (Australia)
12-23-2003
NSW: Railworkers prepare for four-hour stoppage

Sydney commuters are battling heavier traffic and busier buses this morning as rail
workers prepare to walk off the job statewide.

CityRail says train services have been reduced since 8.30am (AEDT) ahead of the four-hour
stopwork, which starts at 10am.

The afternoon peak will also be affected, with less than half of services expected to run.

The Roads and Traffic Authority has extended clearway hours and extra parking areas
will be opened up at Moore Park.

Sydney Buses will also accept CityRail tickets.

Today's action is about State Rail and the Rail Infrastructure Corporation being rolled
into a new agency, Rail Corp, from New Year's Day.

The Rail, Tram and Bus Union says only 4,000 of the 17,000 rail workers have been offered jobs.

But CityRail acting chief executive VINCE GRAHAM says there'll be no retrenchments
or forced redundancies.

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KEYWORD: RAIL (SYDNEY)

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