The NSW Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) has criticised RailCorp plans to decimate station staff numbers.
Staff reviews on NSW rail stations have been completed on the Illawarraline, excluding the eastern suburbs railway. All 371 stations on the network are to be reviewed. The joint management-staff committees have reviewed 54 stations and only reached agreement on 19 of them.
Tthe Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) said on May 20: "Staff review outcomes on the South Coast and Illawarra have significantly reduced staff and station hours and have done nothing to deliver sensible reform outcomes or services for the community."
In meetings with RailCorp on May 13, representatives of the joint rail unions said they would not go ahead with further reviews until the disputed reviews were resolved.
A May 14 RTBU bulletin said: "A majority of the disputes involve station closures or business hour changes. It is our view that this is a political call for the NSW Government. It is not the job of the union to negotiate station closures and we are continuing to campaign politically with the community against the reduction of services."
The Blacktown Sun reported on May 5 that a government review of the RailCorp plan said eight stations — Corrimal, Oak Flats, Werrington, Bombo, Bulli, Rockdale, Emu Plains, Blaxland.
"Spinal Cord Injury Australia president David Brice said the proposed action would badly affect wheelchair users and would undo previous government moves to make stations more accessible", the paper said.