2020 is about better jobs and a fairer industry where transport workers are not suffering from wage theft, a lack of safety or job security and we aim to ensure that those at the top of the supply chain are setting terms and conditions that prevents the squeeze on the people that keep NSW moving.
Is your yard ready, talk to your delegate, your TWU official or call our Members’ Service Centre on 1800 729 909 to become involved.
Wage Theft
We want to hear transport workers’ wage theft stories – chances are you’ve got one. Share your experience to help us change wage theft in our industry: bit.ly/stolenwagesurvey
Airports
TWU Official, Ho Lau, is playing a massive part in what the TWU has achieved with our members. Ho will be taking over the care of a range of yards at the Airport supporting more and more members. His support of members enables them to take a stand for a safer and fairer workplace, featuring job security and a strong collective voice that stops the race to the bottom across the aviation industry.
We are taking on Jetstar at the bargaining table. They don’t get paid enough, they don’t get enough hours, we will support members in their fight. We have had dozens of Qantas part-timers made up to full-time already this year, and we’ve ensured that full-time permanent jobs will be offered to part-timers. We’re taking on QantasLink over crew-to-customer ratios, which the company is trying to stretch beyond practical limits. This is a big issue, as it will put unhealthy physical and mental stress on cabin crew, as well as resulting in limited services for customers.
At Sydney Airport you can find issues across many yards. Who governs what can happen? It’s the top of the supply chain and at the airport that is the Sydney Airport Corporation Limited (SACL). We will take them on, they should come and talk to us.
Whatever it is you do at the airport, whether you are being attacked by peregrine falcons in a Qantas hangar, dealing with aircraft cleaning, working for inferior pay, handling baggage, enduring understaffing, working as cabin crew, or enduring a lack of job security, the TWU will be continuing the fight.
Buses
Recently I made a statement to the Daily Telegraph who were asking why Transport for NSW was cancelling and suspending driver authorities in the bus industry.
We know there are significant pressures placed on bus drivers. We can point to issues in the bus industry that lead to significant company pressure on drivers that relate to the pressure the NSW Government places on operators who manage the bus contracts across NSW.
Bus drivers spoke to us through a survey we ran last year
- Around
a quarter of drivers surveyed are still being disciplined for running
late to timetables they believe are not possible to meet.
- In
our survey around three quarters of drivers believe that the NSW
government tendering has left the bus industry in a worse state. Drivers
with over 5 years’ experience were significantly more likely to agree.
- Similarly, almost three quarters of drivers believe that the competitive tendering by the NSW government compromises passenger safety. Again, drivers with over 5 years’ experience and drivers who feel threatened at work were significantly more likely to agree.
The TWU is the only union that has years of experience in the private bus industry in NSW. We have Five TWU Organisers specifically for the bus industry in NSW and over 40 trained and experienced Delegates and Health & Safety Reps in the bus industry ready to support you. We will continue the work we have done to lift the Industry standard working conditions in the private bus sector. Our strength in the private bus industry makes your TWU membership strong where it counts.
A burning issue for transport workers
The newspaper headlines tell us that this is not a fire season we have seen before. If there is one thing that stands out the most, it is the commitment and bravery shown by local communities, firefighters and other first responders.
The TWU also salutes Transport Workers from all backgrounds who have banded together to take relief and supplies in to dangerous fire zones. Drivers are stepping up, transporting water, fuel, hay, food and more to affected communities, many volunteering their time or resources.
Transport workers are also amongst the many on the fire lines volunteering with organisations like the Rural Fire Service, Community Fire Units or the State Emergency Services.
We have and will continue to ask the question, why should these volunteers lose pay and leave.
The TWU has already taken on a number of fights for members who have gone to fight fires as companies have been taking pay and leave entitlements from them.
The TWU of NSW will seek ways employers can support emergency volunteers in the future.