Australia's Rail, Tram and Bus Union has called off a rail strike which threatened to throw next week's World Youth Day event in New South Wales into chaos, according to local media reports.
The decision to cancel the strike came after a three-hour meeting with state Transport Minister John Watkins, writes ABC News.
Rail workers were planning to strike over the government's 2.5% capped pay rise offer on Pope Benedict's visit during the World Youth Day event.
According to John Robertson from Unions NSW, the Australian Government agreed to drop its proposal to slash around 400 jobs, in exchange for a pay increase for rail workers.
"The workers have had a win, the commuters have had a win and I think that is good," he told the news network.
Up to 750,000 residents of Sydney and Catholic pilgrims could have been stranded during the Pope's official welcome to Sydney, said ABC.
By staff writer
