Commuters will now have to wait until 2024 for the multibillion-dollar fleet to start running from Sydney to Newcastle, the south coast and Blue Mountains.
The Rail, Tram and Bus Union will deactivate Opal readers and gates from September 21, indefinitely, until a resolution is reached, NSW secretary Alex Claassens said.
Commuters should prepare for a week of disruption across the NSW rail network with services significantly impacted on some days as a result of ongoing protected industrial action.
Commuters are being warned to brace for "significant" disruptions to train services across the New South Wales network on Wednesday as the Rail, Tram, Bus Union (RTBU) continues long-running industrial action.