BY DAKOTA TAIT
Hunter commuters should expect a long trip this Saturday, with trains sticking to just 60km an hour as part of a push for a fairer enterprise agreement.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union also launched a ban on overtime work today, with a full network stoppage set to follow from 9am to 1pm next Tuesday.
It's hoped the actions will help secure safer conditions for rail workers.
NSW Secretary Alex Claassens says while community frustration is understandable, low-level actions in previous weeks had been ignored by the Government.
"We deserve some respect, our members have continued to work all the way through COVID like a lot of other essential workers have been," Mr Claassens.
"We've done our job really really well, and we deserve some respect and we need people to sit at the table with us and have a proper conversation."
Mr Claassens says severe delays are likely despite efforts to minimise disruption for the public.
"Certainly, anybody coming from a long way like Newcastle, it's going to be a very long journey for anybody that lines up for that one on Saturday, absolutely" Mr Claassens said.
"We really don't want to be doing this, but unfortunately we've been forced into it."
