Sydney's rail network is under extreme pressure. Credit:Ryan Stuart An indefinite ban on overtime work will also start this Thursday, forcing the government to make drastic cuts to services across the network for days and to cancel all train services on at least two rail lines. Transport Minister Andrew Constance said it was vital the union leadership stepped in to suspend the industrial action, and allow about 9500 workers to adequately consider a new pay deal put to seven unions by Sydney Trains on Tuesday night. "I again reiterate the need for the industrial action to be called off, so that 1.3 million people of NSW dependent on railways can get around the network come Monday," he said. Mr Constance said the RTBU's text messaging of members was not a legitimate way to gauge their views on the pay deal.

NSW Minister for Transport and Infrastructure Andrew Constance. Credit:Daniel Munoz Fearing the worst before the outcome of the poll was known, Sydney Trains launched legal action to suspend the industrial action. A hearing at the Fair Work Commission was held late on Wednesday but was adjourned until Thursday morning. Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Alex Claassens admitted that the text message poll of members of the latest offer by Sydney Trains was an "imperfect process" but he said it was the only mechanism available at short notice to gauge whether workers wanted to call off the strike. Rail, Tram and Bus Union secretary Alex Claassens. Credit:Daniel Munoz "The text messaging system that we tried to use last night did have some difficulties. I am not saying it was a perfect straw poll. I am very, very sorry that we are in this position."

But Mr Claassens said an offer by Sydney Trains of a 2.75 per cent a year increase in pay over three years was "nowhere good enough" for his members. "Our members are totally frustrated with everything that has been going on," he said. "We have been saying all along that we need the [Transport] Minister to come to the table." Mr Claassens said he had spoken to Mr Constance on Wednesday afternoon to "ask him to come to the negotiating table and help avert what is going to happen on Monday". "I have always said this is about conditions. This is about our working conditions and our right to have days off," he said.

The Sydney Trains offer presented to seven unions representing more than 9000 workers on Tuesday included a 2.75 per cent annual pay rise, a one-off $1000 payment and the extension of free travel using Opal cards to private and on-demand buses and the new metro train lines when they are opened in the coming years. The total value of the package to staff equates to a 3.45 per cent a year increase, well above the state government's cap on public sector wages of 2.5 per cent per annum. The other trade unions involved in the negotiations this week, such as the Australian Services Union and the Australian Workers Union, are not party to the industrial action. But Unions NSW secretary Mark Morey, who has led the negotiations over the past two weeks, said several clauses in the offer still needed to be resolved, and further negotiations with Sydney Trains management would be held on Thursday. Labor leader Luke Foley blamed Mr Constance's "relentless attacks on the public transport workforce" for the planned industrial action.

"I urge the union and government representatives to resume negotiations," he said. Prominent law firm Harmers Workplace Lawyers announced before the outcome of the RTBU vote was made public that it would launch legal action on Wednesday in the Fair Work Commission to stop any industrial action from going ahead. Harmers argues that the planned strike is not "protected" under legislation, but is "to a significant extent an old-fashioned 'demarcation dispute' ". The planned industrial action has meant the government has had to implement the equivalent of a Saturday timetable on Thursday, resulting in train services being slashed by more than two-fifths, or 1300, to 1600. Thursday services drastically reduced

Commuters will need to prepare for train services running every 15 minutes on Thursday, instead of every eight minutes, during peak periods. Intercity trains will also run to the equivalent of a Saturday timetable on Thursday, while several 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 major challenge for the rail operator because hundreds of thousands of people are expected to converge on the city in the afternoon for Australia Day celebrations. Loading Services on the T6 Carlingford Line will be cancelled on Friday, and replacement buses put on between Clyde and Carlingford, while those on the T8 Airport Line between the central city and Sydney Airport will end at Kingsgrove until 4pm. Under the contingency plans, the reduced services will extend into Saturday and Sunday, including cancellation of trains on the T5 Cumberland and T6 Carlingford lines.