Celebrating Transport Reform.
| This week, TWU members from all across the nation united in Canberra to discuss the significance of transport reform. While we celebrated the win of last year’s Transport Reform with key allies who helped pass Closing the Loopholes No. 2., we updated 41 Parliamentarians and their staff on the progress of our initial applications for Contract Chain Orders, and world-first minimum standards in rideshare and food and beverage delivery. It is vital that we remind those in power of the deadly pressures faced by all transport workers. |
| The delegation aimed to ensure that decades of relentless campaigning pay off, and Transport Reform legislation has time to take effect and transform the industry to be safer, fairer and more sustainable into the future. |
2025 Road Transport Industry Delegation to Canberra
| This week was momentous as TWU had their first industry-wide delegation since the Transform Reform Bill passed last year. During our meeting with 41 politicians across the major parties and key members of the crossbench, we provided them with updates on the progress made since the passing of Closing Loopholes No. 2, while reiterating the importance of the legislation with the stories of workers who have been affected by dangerous industry pressures. Discussions focused on the deadly history of the Australian road transport industry, with 222 fatalities in truck-related crashes, including 57 drivers, and at least 18 gig workers killed since 2017. Industry instability has led to insolvencies among numerous small- and medium-sized companies. During our meetings with 41 politicians, including members of the Australian Labor Party, the Liberal Party, and crossbench members, we proposed several applications to the Fair Work Commission. Key proposals included a 30-day maximum payment term to support business cash flow and applications addressing the ‘Amazon Effect’ in the last mile and food delivery sectors. The aim is to set rates that ensure operators can recover costs and support fair competition. We heard the employer perspective on the industry pressured faced by businesses in the transport industry. Their support in presenting a united front on behalf of the entire industry was crucial. Owner drivers, represented by Glynn Castanelli (NRFA), Frank Black, and Kayla Weiland, shared their experiences. Castanelli stressed the decline in compliance standards and the need for improvements. Black advocated for fair contract terms, having suffered contract terminations due to supply chain pressures. Weiland called for protections against market undercutting by operators like Amazon. Gig transport representatives, including Rosalina Pirozzi, Jay Young, and Nabin Adhikari, reported untenable working conditions with earnings below minimum wage. They emphasized the need for minimum rates and the ability to appeal unfair deactivations. I thank these members for their steadfast unionism despite unthinkable working conditions. Their stories of facing dangerous industry pressures were crucial to our efforts to reiterate the importance of Transport Reform, why we must protect it, and the purpose of our urgently needed minimum standards orders. |
PRESS CONFERENCE WITH MINISTER MURRAY WATT
| Our Press Conference with Murray Watt, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations gave us the opportunity to make the case for Transport Reform and thank our key allies. Minister Watt said, “we’ve all got a very common interest in making sure that workers and employers in the transport industry enjoy good conditions and profit from their enterprises and to stop the race to the bottom when it comes to prices and wages that transport workers receive.” TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said the Gig Economy has come into this country unchecked and made matters worse. “We’re here over these two days in unity and in unison, calling on all parliamentarians to back these laws now and into the future. We have the promise of saving lives, of making the transport industry safe, sustainable and viable into the future. We should take that up and we should not let politics get in the way.” |
Membership Services Win!
A TWU member employed as a bus driver on the NSW Mid-North Coast was recently terminated for allegations of claiming overtime while not performing at work.
The member sought the assistance of the Membership Services Centre and commenced unfair dismissal proceedings through the Fair Work Commission.
The matter proceeded to a hearing where the allegations of not performing work could not be established, particularly after reviewing CCTV footage which did not at any time establish that the member was not performing work while claiming overtime.
The member has since happily returned to work which was all made possible due to the determination of the member who was adamant that he had done nothing wrong.
If you need support at work, please reach out to the Membership Services Centre at: 1800 729 909. We are with you all the way.
RT HEALTH A WINNER!
