February 8, 2024

HUGE UNION WIN: TRANSPORT REFORM PASSED

Congratulations!

The transport reform we have fought relentlessly to achieve has now passed the Senate and will soon become law.

This is a monumental, world-first achievement that has involved thousands of members and decades of work. We would not be here without transport workers taking action towards a safer, fairer, more sustainable industry.

Here’s a look back at some of those actions.

National convoys

Hundreds and hundreds of members from right across road transport turned out in convoys across the country for transport reform.

National days of action

For over a decade, TWU members have protested clients like Aldi to hold them to account for safe rates and conditions for every worker in their supply chain.

Our protests brought Coles and Woolworths to the table to sign charters with us for safety and fairness in transport.

Yard meetings

In hundreds of transport yards, thousands of members showed that this reform was supported by transport workers right across the country.

Winning commitments from employers

By holding strong in majors bargaining, members won commitments from their employers to publicly support the reform, including providing trucks for convoys.

Sharing your stories

Members around the country used their voices to call for reform in social media videos and shared their stories publicly. Many personal stories were shared by politicians to show those opposed to reform how necessary it is to make transport safer and fairer.

Vigils

Too many transport workers have lost workmates or loved ones in this industry. We have remembered them at vigils in capital cities, including at Parliament House.

On Tuesday, we held a vigil to commemorate the 235 people killed in transport-related crashes in 2023. We laid out 58 high-vis vests for the 54 truck drivers and four gig workers killed, and 177 white t shirts for other members of the public who died in truck crashes.

At every vigil, at every awful milestone of the death toll, we have honoured them by calling for a safer industry.

Delegations to Parliament House

Dozens of members have joined delegations to Parliament House to speak with politicians from right across the political spectrum. Congratulations for your efforts in sharing your stories, which made the case for this reform and won support from crucial crossbenchers.

What happens now?

In a few months’ time, transport reform laws will take effect. We need to keep showing why minimum standards are necessary and will save lives.

More information will be shared soon on how we can use these laws to lift standards and hold the top of the supply chain to account.

Congratulations to every single member for being part of this campaign.

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