I’d like to begin by welcoming every member who’s joined the Transport Workers’ Union in 2025 – and it’s been great to meet many of you. I extend my warmest welcome to you, and thank you for putting your trust in the Transport Workers’ Union.
2025 was proof that the TWU is relentless. We have had many victories in recent years, but this year was the culmination of many campaigns and many fights.
At the 2024 conference, the union set a theme for the year, and that theme was “The TWU is relentless.” I want to congratulate every member, whether you were there or not, for the work they’ve done in ensuring that statement rang true these last 12 months.
Since the start of this year, members have many wins under our belts, fighting to win better pay and conditions, making sure transport reform is passed into law, strengthening our union through recruitment, and working together to ensure that workplaces are safer.
We’re continuing to move forward with training to give members the tools they need to make their workplaces fairer. We know that union yards are safer yards, and that when members, delegates or HSRs speak up, management is forced to listen.
In March, I was honoured to join fellow members and our union leadership in Sydney as we watched Chapter 6 reforms go through the NSW Parliament for the first time in decades. As a longtime owner driver, as most of you know, seeing unfair exclusions finally removed from the act and additional protections added for transport workers was a joyous moment to share with members. It was a fight many years in the making, and it was great to see it finally passed into NSW law.
This year also saw me retire from FedEx, after over 40 years working in Transport.
I was very fortunate to celebrate my farewell surrounded by TWU Officials, delegates and members. Over my many years of activism in this legendary union, I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by the best of the best. I’d also like to congratulate our Vice President Jason Larfield, who this year is celebrating a quarter-century in this union.
Our dedicated membership are the reason we win better deals for transport workers, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with you as your president, as we head Towards ’26.
Next year, transport workers have aligned over 200 Enterprise Agreements to expire, so that we can take action together across road transport and aviation, fighting to lift everyone’s pay and conditions and set better sector standards.
By standing up to management, and the clients, we’ll get better conditions, fairer treatment, and put ourselves in the box seat for 2029 and beyond. It’s your relentless spirit and solidarity that will make it happen.
Let’s work together to make 2026 a triumph.
Tony Matthews • TWU President