Dozens of Metro Tunnel trains cancelled as industrial action threatens timetables

Metro Trains has been forced to cancel dozens of services through the $15 billion Metro Tunnel and may have to partially suspend operations due to ongoing industrial action at a train maintenance facility.

There were 89 services cancelled across Wednesday, Thursday and Friday morning on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines, due to industrial action taken by workers who maintain the state’s High Capacity Metro Trains (HCMT).

An email Metro executives sent staff this week, seen by The Age, said industrial action was already forcing the cancellation of services, and that some lines might need to be partially suspended.

“We may not have enough HCMTs to run the full timetable on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines,” the email said.

“We may require partial line suspensions if this external industrial action continues. This is always a last resort but will allow us to provide the best services for the largest number of passengers possible.”

A Metro Trains spokesperson confirmed the external industrial action had forced cancellations and that it was considering partial line suspensions, which would mean trains terminate their service without reaching the end of the line.

“We thank passengers for their patience and we advise passengers to plan their journey ahead of travelling,” they said.

“Metro Trains is exploring options for partial line suspensions, which will be supplemented with bussing to ensure passengers can still get to their destinations.

Metro Trains is working to mitigate disruptions with Downer Group, the infrastructure services company that holds the contract with the state government to provide routine maintenance on Victoria’s HCMT.

Electrical Trades Union and Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union members at Downer’s Pakenham East depot have been taking industrial action since July 24 and slowed the rate at which Downer can carry out maintenance work.

One rail industry source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said that on Thursday Metro had only 50 trains available out of a fleet of 70 due to the industrial action, which resulted in 20 services being cancelled that day.

Maintenance on HCMTs is time-consuming, so even if the dispute was settled in the coming days it would take weeks to clear the backlog of out-of-service trains.

ETU organiser John Islip said around 110 workers represented by the two unions were taking part in the industrial action, consisting of half-day strikes and full-day strikes on Mondays.

Islip said the unions were demanding that workers at the facility receive the same pay and conditions as Metro, V/Line and Yarra Trams workers.