August 29, 2026 — 7:00pmMetro 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).Industrial action by workers who maintain the state’s trains has forced the cancellation of dozens of services. Wayne TaylorAn 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.Workers and union members have taken industrial action at Downer’s Pakenham Railway Depot since late July. ETU Victorian Branch FacebookETU 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.HCMTs operate exclusively on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Sunbury lines, which are now connected via the Metro Tunnel.A Downer spokesperson confirmed employees were taking industrial action connected to negotiations for a enterprise bargaining agreement.“Downer remains committed to the process and continues to engage constructively with bargaining representatives,” they said.A spokesperson for the state government said it was working with Metro Trains and Downer to minimise the impact on services.“We will always support the rights of Victorian workers to take protected industrial action,” they said.“We urge all parties to bargain in good faith and resolve this dispute at the negotiating table.”Although maintenance workers are taking industrial action connected to their EBA negotiations with Downer, not the state government, it is one of several recent disputes to impact state-run services.Doctors at several Melbourne public hospitals stopped work for four hours on Thursday as they negotiated with the government for better pay and conditions.Labor earlier this month signed a $5.4 billion pay deal with teachers to increase pay by 28.3 per cent over four years after protracted negotiations and two strikes. It also signed a deal with the union representing healthcare works after two statewide strikes.The Metro Tunnel opened on November 30 last year on a limited timetable, before commencing full operations in February and creating 1200 weekly train services.From our partners