Loading The Rail, Tram and Bus Union is demanding a 6 per cent pay rise while Metro Trains is offering a 2 per cent increase. The Public Transport Users Association estimates that the myki-free days could cost the government as much as $1 million a day, when taking into account the high proportion of the 500,000 daily train users who are using a concession card or have passes. The Age has asked the government and Metro how much the actions will cost in lost fare revenue. The government distributes about 40 per cent of daily ticketing revenue to Metro.

The union's Victorian Branch Secretary Luba Grigorovitch describes next week's ticket free-for-all as being at the ‘‘lighter’’ end of possible actions, with the union also threatening a strike of up to 48 hours if key demands are not met. ‘‘This industrial action is aimed at Metro’s hip pocket, not the travelling public,’’ Ms Grigorovitch said. ‘‘The RTBU is seeking to keep the public well informed of any impacts ahead of any industrial action, however these action items announced today are designed to target Metro and will not impact commuters’ ability to catch the train.’’ From Monday, August 12 to Sunday, August 18, train drivers will also refuse to divert services if they are asked to do so by their managers.

This is in effect a ban on station skipping and diversions around the city loop, as well as short shunting of trains which are practices that help Metro achieve its performance targets but should have been stamped out under the current seven-year contract with the government. Train drivers will also refuse to operate trains that do not have working passenger emergency intercoms and will refuse to update Metro management on any non-safety-critical information. Union members will also refuse to participate in any training for the High Capacity Metro Trains over the week. A Metro spokesman described the development as ‘‘a very disappointing outcome – industrial action is a completely unnecessary step.’’

‘‘This action is still avoidable, and we encourage the union to reconsider," the spokesman said. ‘‘We will do everything in our power to minimise disruptions to our passengers as a result of any action taken.’’ Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video Nearly 30 bargaining sessions have taken place with the union since February, he said, noting that Metro sought the assistance of the Fair Work Commission in early May to keep negotiations moving at a reasonable pace. In late 2015, trains ground to a halt as Metro staff including signallers and controllers walked off the job over a dispute about the enterprise agreement.

The parties eventually settled on a 4.4 per cent annual pay rise. A government spokesperson asked for a resolution to be reached ‘‘as quickly as possible’’. Mykis will go unchecked on Monday Credit:Paul Jeffers ‘‘We’re not speculating on the impact of actions that have not yet occurred," the spokesperson said. "There is still time to resolve this, and we encourage both parties to continue negotiating in good faith.’’

Loading Ms Grigorovitch said she has alerted the Andrews government about the upcoming actions and if the stalemate continues, the government will ‘‘have to’’ intervene. Premier Daniel Andrews last week urged the parties to ‘‘sit down in a spirit of goodwill’’ to negotiate an outcome. ‘‘I don’t want to see anyone being inconvenienced by industrial action when I think industrial action can be avoided simply by sitting down and talking through the issues,’’ he said. In the months leading up to last year’s election, the government is understood to have spent millions of dollars of taxpayers’ money to buy industrial peace on Melbourne’s bus networks.

Buses were set to stop rolling last Thursday on 120 routes or about a third of the metropolitan network. Union leaders met with Metro representatives on Monday afternoon for further negotiations over the four-year wage deal. In addition to the pay increase, Metro and the union disagree about how part-time workers should be paid for working overtime These workers are currently paid time-and-a-half for extra hours worked, but under proposed changes by Metro that have been rejected by the union, these workers would be paid the standard rate for extra hours worked. The union also wants to overhaul the pay of station staff, who are now required to do more, including controlling crowds on busy platforms, stopping commuters from holding train doors open and providing more customer service information but without any extra pay.

With Benjamin Preiss