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Why is it Ms Sg contestant and MY contestant look almost the same? Wonder if they can have the same person represennting two countries if she was allowed dual nationality ?
not sureNSW rail workers have called off plans for a 24-hour strike during World Youth Day after a breakthrough in pay talks with the NSW government.
A three-hour meeting between Transport Minister John Watkins and union officials averted the strike action, which was planned for July 17 - the day Pope Benedict XVI tours Sydney.
RailCorp, which runs Sydney's train services, is expecting to move 700,000 people that day, including 200,000 Catholic pilgrims attending World Youth Day events.
Union officials and RailCorp will hold negotiations from 9am (AEST) on Wednesday and plan to continue talks until an agreement is reached.
Mr Watkins and Unions NSW secretary John Robertson said they would intervene if talks broke down again.
"The workers have had a win, the commuters have had a win and I think that's good," Mr Robertson told reporters.
"Now we need to go forward in the spirit that was in the room today.
"The industrial action has now been called off for World Youth Day ... it will not come back up."
Premier Morris Iemma welcomed the breakthrough, but said the government was never going to negotiate with the Rail Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) unless the strike threat was withdrawn.
"Common sense has prevailed today and Sydney residents and international visitors can now be assured of rail services operating during World Youth Day week," Mr Iemma said.
Pay talks between the RTBU and RailCorp have been going on for 11 months, with the union seeking a five per cent increase for its members.
The government had offered four per cent, conditional on 417 jobs being cut.
RailCorp has now agreed the job cuts are off the table and will offer rail workers a four per cent a year increase over the next two years.
Mr Watkins said an application lodged by RailCorp in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) today to prevent the strike would now be withdrawn.
RTBU secretary Nick Lewocki said rail workers had threatened to strike due to frustration over how long it had taken RailCorp to offer a decent deal.
"I had a very clear mandate that when 95 per cent of people voted that they would take action, they knew that action would be during World Youth week," Mr Lewocki said.
"They were prepared to take that. It was my responsibility to take that argument up to the government, up to the commission and call on the public to support us."
Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the government had rolled over to union demands, only a day after Mr Iemma had described the planned strike as "industrial terror".
Mr O'Farrell said the government should have negotiated a pay deal with the union well ahead of World Youth Day.
Source: AAP
Major train delays...
Rail Network except the Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line - Major delays
CityRail advises that trains are being delayed on the Rail Network except the Eastern Suburbs & Illawarra Line between Redfern and Central in both directions due to essential overhead wiring repairs at Central. Major delays can be expected.
Bus companies are being contacted to operate a supplementary service between Strathfield and Central until all train services can resume.
CityRail apologises to customers who have experienced lengthy delays due to this incident.
Repair crews are on site and working to restore train services as soon as possible. At this stage there is no forecast of when the line can be reopened. Further information will be provided as information becomes available. report here.
I managed to get a refund from cityrail today but lost much time all for nothing.
Zurich, Vienna and Geneva are the best cities in the world as far as quality of live is concerned, says Mercer Consulting in a survey published in June 2008. Sydney is placed 10th.
See report .
