Sydney's rail network has been tipped into chaos after rail workers voted overwhelmingly to push ahead with strike action in a major escalation of the dispute with Sydney Trains management and the state government.
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Of the nearly 6100 rail staff who are members of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, only 5.93 per cent voted by text message in support of suspending an indefinite overtime ban from Thursday, and a 24-hour-strike on Monday.
The no-vote means the city's rail network will be brought to a shuddering halt on Monday when members of the biggest rail union will walk off the job for 24 hours from midnight. A ban on overtime work will also started from this Thursday, resulting in a drastic reduction in train services across the network for days.
Sydney Trains has already launched per-emptive legal action to suspend the industrial action with a 3pm hearing set down for the Fair Work Commisison.
The government has already been forced to implement on Thursday the equivalent of a Saturday timetable, which has resulted in it slashing the number of train services by more than two fifths, or by 1300, to 1600.
Thursday services drastically reduced on South Coast line
Trains on the South Coast line will run to a Saturday timetable on Thursday, as rail workers begin overtime bans and prepare for a 24-hour strike on Monday.
This means the only morning trains from Wollongong to arrive at Central for (or just after) the start of normal office hours leave at 4.56am, 5.31am, 6.40am and 7.44am (arriving at 9.15am).
Normally, there are at least 10 city-bound trains in the same time period.
Coming home, trains will leave Central on the hour from 4.29pm, stopping at all stations from Helensburgh to Thirroul.
As in the morning, on a normal Thursday there are 10 trains leaving Central between 4.30 and 7.30pm.
With South Coast services already crowded, the reduced timetable is expected to create havoc for Illawarra commuters.
The government has urged people to avoid unnecessary trips, especially during peak hours, and work from home if they can or leave for work earlier in the day.
The state government was forced to make the decision to implement the equivalent of a Saturday timetable on Thursday because the main rail union's move to put a new three-year pay deal to members came too late on Tuesday.
Under the reduced timetable, train services will be slashed by more than two-fifths, or by 1300, to 1600 on Thursday.
This is set to result in major disruptions for more than 1 million people who travel on Sydney's rail network on a week day.
Intercity trains will also run to the equivalent of a Saturday timetable on Thursday, while a number of regional NSW Trainlink services will be replaced by buses.
The government has urged people to avoid unnecessary trips on Thursday, especially during peak hours, and work from home if they can or leave for work earlier in the day.
A reduction in the frequency of services to and from Sydney Airport is likely to cause congestion on roads in and around Kingsford Smith, because it comes on the eve of a long weekend when more people are set to fly.
About 500 buses will be put on standby at key locations around Sydney to avoid overcrowding at train stations such as Town Hall and Wynyard in the central city.
Friday also presents a challenge for the rail operator because hundreds of thousands of people are expected to converge on the central city in the afternoon for Australia Day celebrations.
Under the contingency plans announced late on Tuesday, the reduced services were to extend into Saturday and Sunday, including cancellation of trains on the T5 Cumberland and T6 Carlingford lines.
