UPDATE 25/01- The planned 24-hour rail strike will not go ahead, after the Fair Work Commission deputy commissioner Jonathan Hamberger agreed with the NSW Government’s argument that the action would pose too great a risk to the city’s economy and safety.

Workers had earlier voted overwhelmingly against the latest pay offer.

ORIGINAL 23/01 - NSW rail workers and Sydney Trains bosses are at loggerheads, with a planned strike less than a week away.

The two sides have been holding talks this week, but so far have not averted the planned train strike on January 29, which will see more than 9,000 train workers stop work for 24 hours as they push for a six per cent pay rise and improved conditions.

The has offered a 2.5 per cent wage increase.

RTBU NSW secretary Alex Claassens says officials are still “miles away” from reaching a consensus.

“Unfortunately, we still have not reached an agreement. Management came to the meeting with an offer but it was not up to scratch,” he said on Monday.

Both the NSW premier and the chief of Sydney Trains say they are hopeful this week’s meetings will end in an agreement and the cancellation of the planned strike.

Reports say the talks are stuck on issues including rostering, job security and working conditions.

When the 24-hour stoppage was announced earlier this month, Mr Claassens said it was a regrettable but necessary course of action.

“Workers have been trying to negotiate a fair and reasonable enterprise agreement for well over six months now, but the NSW Government and Sydney and NSW Trains management have refused to bargain fairly – not just around pay, but around basic conditions that impact their safety and the safety of commuters,” he said.

“There’s never an ideal time to take this kind of action, but the reality is, we have to. The Transport Minister and management haven’t left us with any other choice. Workers can’t sit back and let their wages and conditions, and our transport system, be attacked any longer.

“Workers are being stretched to capacity trying to deliver the shambolic new timetable, and now on top of all of this they’re being told they can’t be guaranteed fair conditions or pay.

The 24-hour stoppage comes alongside two other forms of action – the displaying of union and industrial materials and a ban on overtime.