The NSW government's long-running battle with the state's train drivers has seen them offer a 15 per cent pay bump across four years, but it will not workers drivers from going well below speed limits from Wednesday.
The increased offer remains significantly below the four annual wage increases of eight per cent the workers have been asking for, with union officials indicating they were unimpressed with the proposed deal.
Commuters remain warned to brace for delays and cancellations from Wednesday when drivers reduce speed limits and some contractor work will be banned, which Sydney Trains warned would lead to a deterioration of the fleet and increased cancellations during the three-day action.
Rail, Tram and Bus Union state secretary Toby Warnes, who said commuters were unlikely to be overly affected by the action, said the government's announcement of a pay offer was "premature" because it lacked detail around other working conditions.
"The current wages offer, which is all we're really certain on exactly what it looks like, does seem a little light-on," he told ABC Radio.
"(The) disrespect that has been levelled against them, that does have an impact on how commuters see our members, it's not nice, and we'd like to see the government shift that rhetoric, if it wants us to sit down and properly consider this offer."
The government had previously refused to budge from its initial, public sector-wide pay offer, but it said a merger between NSW's two rail bodies and "productivity gains" - which the union tipped to include 100 job cuts - allowed for the slight bump.
The offer includes a one per cent rise in superannuation, which is mandatory for all workers.
"This is a fair and reasonable offer that represents a real increase in take-home pay," Transport Minister Jo Haylen told reporters on Tuesday.
"I would ask that (workers) consider it and ideally support it so we can end this dispute and return our train network to an operation I know you are proud to operate."
Sydney Trains chief Matt Longland said he respected the rights of workers to take action but said those not completing full tasks from Wednesday onwards would be docked pay.
"For staff that are coming to work, we expect them to undertake their normal duties, or they won't be coming to work and they won't be paid," he said.
Drivers running trains slowly recently did not have a significant impact, Sydney Trains' boss said. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS)
Recent action during which drivers ran trains slowly did not have a significant impact, Mr Longland said, but commuters were still encouraged to allow extra time for trips.
Opposition industrial relations spokesman Damien Tudehope said the offer was a "betrayal of regional NSW", forecasting the job cuts would target those areas.
"This is an offer which is saying to regional NSW, we are going to get rid of NSW Trains and the jobs which are going to be sacrificed in relation to that will be regional jobs," he said.
Sydney Trains has set a Thursday deadline for the union to provide an in-principle response to the offer.
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