| This morning, we celebrated the result of a campaign that was years in the making – the opening of new, safer Wollongong Bus Terminus facilities. More about this win below. This week we’ve also welcomed more members for Health & Safety Representative (HSR) training, one of the many sessions we’ve been proud to host this year. Numerous safety wins as of late continue to prove that workplaces with HSRs are safer workplaces. |
| With the SafeWork Health & Safety Conference just a few weeks away, the TWU is once again playing a key role, showcasing our leadership in workplace safety. This week, SafeWork themselves came to record a video at the TWU with HSR delegate Dave Andrews, the second time TWU HSRs have featured prominently in this kind of material, following a similar video in 2024. Dave’s story about holding an employer to account is just another example of the power TWU HSRs have to make their workplace safer. It is great to see that SafeWork are acknowledging the leadership role the TWU plays in health and safety, and this is a reflection of the relentless work of not only HSRs like Dave, but our Assistant-Secretary Marija Marsic, who has worked tirelessly to ensure workplace safety is front and centre of everything this union does. Transport workers know that our industry is the most dangerous in Australia. The TWU will always champion member-led safety. |
New Wollongong Bus Facilities Open
After languishing for 30 years under a temporary bus layover at Marine Drive, bus workers in Wollongong will benefit from a new permanent bus layover, opening at Atchison St from Monday.
The new permanent facilities follow a years-long campaign from the TWU for worker safety and amenities to be the paramount consideration from the NSW Government and Wollongong Council when reviewing their layover arrangements.
The Transport Workers’ Union stood by the workers’ and the standards that were expected, and following productive consultation with the NSW Government, Minister Paul Scully, and Wollongong Council, the result is a better facility for drivers.
This is another positive result on the Road to Respect, but the work to ensure bus drivers receive better conditions is ongoing. The TWU will continue to work productively with the NSW Government to ensure transport workers benefit from safer facilities.
NSW Secretary Richard Olsen said:
“Having new, permanent facilities is a great outcome for bus workers, who previously languished under a temporary set-up for decades, and great for the public, who will benefit from the reclaimed space. The Transport Workers’ Union commends all parties who worked with us in good faith to get to the result we see today.
“Safety is paramount in the bus sector, and we’ll continue to work productively with the NSW Government to ensure outcomes such as these become the norm.”
Wollongong & South Coast Sub-branch Secretary Rob Pirc said:
“It’s been a 30-year journey to find a permanent home, but the result is the opening of a better, safer, permanent facility for bus workers.
“We appreciate the efforts of Minister Scully, Transport for New South Wales, and Wollongong Council to work with transport workers for a better result. We’ll continue to work with all partners to ensure safety is the priority in Wollongong.
DHL / Cameron Driver Members Take a Stand and Back Each other’s Mental Health
Recently, a new Manager at DHL began acting in a manner that made members feel bullied and intimidated. The behaviour was targeted, repetitive, and specifically aimed at drivers.
Earlier this week, these members made it clear that they wouldn’t tolerate coming into work to this behaviour anymore and took a stand to ensure that their concerns with the new Manager were given the time of day, and to make sure that their jobs would be protected.
By standing together and making their voices heard, the Manager in question has since been removed from the site, pending an investigation. These developments are a credit to the workers who acted in good faith and took a stand for the mental health of their co-workers.
