The following statement is attributable to Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) National Secretary Mark Diamond:
The NSW Government has withdrawn its legal action against rail workers, and Sydney train services will slowly return over the coming days.
It is now clear that the decision to shut down the Sydney train network had nothing to do with rail workers. It is up to the NSW Government to explain how and why that decision was made.
For the past two days, Sydney Trains workers have copped abuse from stranded commuters on platforms and on social media because people wrongly believed the cancellation of rail services was due to a union strike.
That belief was fuelled by false statements made on 2GB and repeated at a nationally-televised media conference by Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Scott Morrison lied about a non-existent strike to score cheap political points. That lie compounded the anxiety and stress being felt by millions of people in Sydney.
Strikes are a legitimate industrial tool for workers, but we never take strike action lightly. To be accused of taking strike action, when our members were doing no such thing, was utterly bizarre.
If Scott Morrison has any decency whatsoever, he will apologise to Sydney Trains workers for his brazen lie. I am happy to take Mr Morrison for a tour of Sydney Trains depots so that he can deliver his apology in person.