Drivers will be hoping to avoid flat batteries and tyres as NRMA Patrol members begin a two-day strike, escalating their first industrial action in 23 years after talks with the group failed to achieve a breakthrough.
Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union NSW & ACT said 210 NRMA Patrol members would be engaging in a 48-hour work stoppage, which begun on Sunday, for a fair pay deal.
“This will be the third NRMA industrial action round this year, after six months of enterprise bargaining,” the AMWU said.
“The AMWU is working to ensure the safety of workers and the public is prioritised for the duration of the work stoppage and beyond.”
The NRMA Patrols staff plan to rally in Town Hall Square on Monday as they push their claim for a 17 per cent pay rise over four years. It is the first strike since about 400 NRMA road patrol staff in NSW and the ACT took a 24-hour strike in 2002. It was their first in 75 years.
An NRMA spokesman said not all patrols would take part in industrial action, and it had contingency arrangements involving these staff, as well as contractors and providers to minimise disruption.
“We are committed to maintaining services for our members throughout this time,” he said.
“The NRMA will, in good faith, continue open and constructive dialogue as both parties work towards a resolution. We respect every union member’s right to decide to participate in protected industrial action.”
The NRMA is currently being run by interim chief executive Carolyn Darke, who has led the organisation since October, when Rohan Lund left to become chief executive at Southern Cross Media, which has just announced that more than 300 staff will lose their jobs.
Cricket Australia chairman and former NSW premier Mike Baird takes over as chief executive in August.
Baird said when his role was announced in April: “I am thrilled to be joining an organisation with such a proud history and one so committed to delivering value and excellence for its 3.5 million members.
“This opportunity comes at an important time for the NRMA as we focus on how we continue to build a modern, sustainable mutual that connects motoring, travel and rewards, while advocating for the needs and safety of NSW motorists.”
The group generated more than $978 million in revenue for 2025, and it made a profit of $19.7 million, according to its annual report. Senior executives and board members were paid a total of $5.4 million during that period.
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Colin Kruger is a senior business reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.