I hope that you and your families had a safe Easter and Anzac day period. We know that our industry is what keeps New South Wales moving, especially during times of peak demand.
I look forward to continue working with you all in months ahead.
As we approach winter, Wollongong City bus terminus edges closer to its building phase.
The Transport Workers’ Union, and in particular its members across Premier Illawarra and Dion’s have fought hard to ensure the new bus terminus has all the specifications needed to be safe, practical and convenient.
The terminus must be completed by August, so the TWU has been active in pushing not only Wollongong City Council, but also Transport for New South Wales to ensure completion dates are met.
The Union is also taking a keen interest in the Wollongong City and Shellharbour City Council’s combined residential waste tender, which has now officially opened. The sub-branch is pleased that Remondis employees are already benefitting from the new legislation – a hard fought TWU win – meaning the current rates of pay will be attached to the tender.
The union was also hard at work in ensuring job security for those at Cleary Brothers, which have now been formally purchased by MAAS Group. Thanks to the relentless efforts of the TWU and our hard-working membership, workers conditions and rates of pay are being recognised and continued under the new ownership.
Where workers’ conditions are protected somewhere, they will always be under attack somewhere else. Once again, Cleanaway Unanderra has made an attempt to attack worker conditions, and just like last year the TWU is taking the fight to them. This time, they are trying to attack current conditions in the realms of early morning shift penalties.
The TWU is working to ensure fairness everywhere. Enterprise Agreements across Boral, Heidlberg, Multiquip, South Coast Equipment and Bidfood are currently in negotiations, where there is a clear goal to ensure that fair, safe rates and conditions are passed on to transport workers in the South Coast.
Sub-branch secretary Rob Pirc congratulating long standing TWU delegate Darcy Stoyles on the great work he’s undertaken as a delegate.
Lastly, the sub-branch is proud to host its first Delegates 1 Training in Wollongong in late May. The South Coast Sub-branch is extremely excited to host training, which will strengthen our delegates structures and arm delegates with broader knowledge of the legislation and industry. Training is a key part of what the TWU offers its members, and we’re proud to play a role in helping our members get an even bigger toolkit to stand up for their rights at work with.
Rob Pirc
SOUTH COAST & SOUTHERN
Sub-branch Secretary