Illawarra commuters may have one less thing to worry about as the year starts in earnest, with the rail union and the NSW government coming to an agreement and an end to 18 months of industrial action.
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NSW rail workers voted overwhelmingly in favour of accepting a new two-year pay deal, which includes a $4500 cash payment and minimum annual pay rises of 3.03 per cent and 3.53 per cent.
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The Sydney Trains and NSW TrainLink Enterprise Agreement will now be lodged with the Fair Work Commission for approval.
Minister for Employee Relations Damien Tudehope said this successful vote means the end of industrial action on the rail network.
"This outcome formalises the agreement reached with the rail unions last year and will mean no further industrial action over the life of the EA," Mr Tudehope said.
"This is a welcome result for the public of NSW who own the rail network and rely on it every day to go about their lives."
RTBU secretary Alex Claassens said the agreement ensured safety and fair wages for rail workers.
"We're looking forward to the enterprise agreement finally being completed, and we're looking forward to seeing the crucial safety changes finally being made to the New Intercity Fleet," he said.
The New Intercity Fleet has been been mothballed in a Central Coast warehouse due to workers' safety concerns.
The new trains, which will operate on the South Coast line, are yet to come into service, after the union required modifications to the South Korean-made trains to enable guards to see along the length of curved platforms.
The Mariyung fleet was first expected to start carrying passengers from Sydney to the Central Coast and Newcastle by late 2019, and the Illawarra by 2021.
Minister for Regional Transport and Roads Sam Farraway said the new trains promise to give Illawarra commuters more space, charging points and improved accessibility.
"We can now begin modifying the new fleet immediately and provide our commuters with trains that are equipped with the modern facilities they deserve to make their daily life easier."
After a horror year for commuters in 2022, with landslides closing the South Coast line in March and delays for months afterwards, Minister for Transport, Veterans and Western Sydney David Elliott said the agreement would mean rail commuters could be more confident in the "level of service" on NSW trains.
"This is a significant and successful outcome for rail employees and commuters, after more than 12 months of intense negotiations and impacts from industrial action," Mr Elliott said.
Transport for NSW figures show that South Coast line trains only achieved the on-time performance target in January last year.
The worst months were March and April, when only 48.8 per cent and 52.2 per cent of trains showed up on time.
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