Sydney

A chaotic two-day shutdown of Sydney’s train network has been averted at the 11th hour after the state government caved to rail union demands to run 24-hour services to prevent workers striking>

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Some train lines will still partially close for trackwork in the city’s west, with buses replacing trains on Saturday and Sunday on parts of the T2, T3, T5, T6, T8 and southern highlands lines. Part of the metro will still close for unrelated maintenance on Saturday and Sunday.

However, metro services will run more often on Friday, while extra light rail services and additional special event trains and buses to Olympic Park for Pearl Jam’s concert will run on Saturday.

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The government has agreed to run 24-hour services in exchange for the unions dropping 109 various industrial bans from Monday for a period of two weeks, with both parties agreeing to use the fortnight as an “intensive bargaining” period.

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The rail unions have taken hundreds of industrial actions since September as they negotiate with the government over pay and conditions for about 14,000 train workers.

The RTBU has demanded a 32% pay rise over four years, or 8% a year, while the government has offered a three-year agreement totalling 9.5% plus super.