The continued disruption on Australia’s busiest urban rail network could be resolved within hours – but only at the cost of giving into union blackmail, NSW Premier Chris Minns says.

Minns took aim at the Rail, Tram and Bus Union on Monday after another morning of chaos across the Sydney Trains network.

“They think everybody in Sydney is stupid or that they’re getting away with it, when everyone’s on to them,” he said.

“We are on the side of commuters here.”

The ongoing uncertainty around the train network is set to continue ahead of another Fair Work Commission hearing and opposition calls for the federal government to get involved.

“We are hopeful that the commission steps in at this point and ends this circus, but we’ll have a plan B and a plan C,” Minns said.

More than 300 rail staff did not turn up to work on Monday morning, causing the cancellation of 322 services. Transport for NSW said more than 80 of trains were on time, despite the absences.

“However, passengers are still advised to plan ahead and allow extra travel time as there may be disruption over the course of the day due to industrial action,” it warned ahead of Monday afternoon’s peak.

“There could be ongoing absenteeism on other shifts throughout the day, and Sydney Trains will keep passengers informed.”

It followed major disruption on Friday, the latest step in an increasingly bitter dispute as talks over an enterprise agreement stalled again after dragging on for almost a year.

More than 850 staff were absent then, leading to more than 95 per cent of trains being delayed or cancelled.

Disagreement over a previously undiscussed $4500 incentive payment, included in the previous agreement, caused negotiations to break down.

“The government cannot give in to the union’s blackmail … it would only embolden them,” Minns said.

“I could solve this dispute this afternoon by handing over a blank cheque to the union and agreeing to their latest outrageous claims, but it wouldn’t solve it permanently.”

The ongoing dispute has been before the FWC several times. It will return there on Wednesday in a bid to halt protected industrial action.

On Sunday, the commission dismissed the government’s claim of a co-ordinated action by workers in failing to turn up.

But the union could not be blamed for everything, its NSW president Craig Turner told Nine’s Today show on Monday.

“We promote commuters to travel on the trains. There’s two parties to this – the government really hasn’t come to the party,” he said.

NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman called for the matter to be escalated, urging Minns to ask Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt for help.

Minns said that wouldn’t happen until after Wednesday’s hearing.

“But I’m not ruling anything out,” he said.

The union initially sought a 32 per cent pay rise across four years, but the government offered 15 per cent for the same period including a federally mandated superannuation increase.

The union later provided a counter-offer of about 20 per cent across three years, which it rescinded after legal action was launched.

-with AAP