TWU PROTESTS AMAZON HARRIS FARM DELIVERIES IN CANBERRA

Over a hundred transport workers protested in Canberra today, over Amazon’s entry into grocery delivery at Harris Farm, using a gig model, Amazon Flex, which exploits workers with a complete lack of standards, algorithmic management, and threatens good transport businesses.

The protests come as Amazon attempts to delay the TWU’s application to introduce fair minimum standards in the last mile delivery sector.

In January, Amazon joined Harris Farm to begin its first Australian grocery delivery service, which risks lowering standards even further in road transport, already Australia’s deadliest industry. At Amazon Flex, workers use family cars crammed with boxes and have no minimum standards like other transport employees, creating huge safety risks and triggering an existential threat for good transport businesses.

The protests come as the TWU gathers for its National Council in a pivotal year for the union, with negotiations for over 200 transport agreements across the road transport and aviation in progress. Tens of thousands of transport workers will have the potential right to take protected industrial action from July if companies refuse to lift standards.

Workers are demanding wealthy transport clients like Amazon end the deadly squeeze on transport workers by paying their fair share to fund fair and safe standards.

So far this year, there have been 69 truck-related deaths on our roads and 673 businesses have gone insolvent.

TWU NSW State Secretary Richard Olsen said:

“We’re standing with workers who have had enough of the Amazon Effect. Amazon Flex has lowered standards and this has a real cost in the safety and conditions of working Australians. It’s time for the Amazon Effect to end.”

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said:

“The message to Amazon and every outlier dragging this industry down is clear: it’s time to pay up for decent jobs and stop undercutting decent Australian businesses.”