The opening months of 2025 have seen the TWU continue to put safety at the forefront of our fights with PCBUs exposing workers to unacceptable risks, and training at the front-and-centre of how we empower our members with the tools they need to protect their conditions at work.
I’m pleased that we’ve been able to start 2025 on the front-foot – growing the WHS department, expanding our training offering across our sub-branches, and continuing to hold PCBUs to account.
We continue to show leadership in the union movement in the way that we prioritise training and safety. Near the end of last year, the TWU took the lead at the SafeWork NSW Health and Safety Representatives Conference.
Taking the lead
In 2025, we’re taking the lead once again in planning for this year’s conference. (see page 10) Just recently, our union were the hosts of the planning committee, who comprise of SafeWork NSW and Union affiliates. By hosting the meeting, we were able to drive the conversation on the training that will take place at the conference this year.
We know how important HSRs are to our industry, which is Australia’s most dangerous. Across the sector, time and time again union HSRs help raise the alarm on bad actors and make their workplaces safer than those that don’t have union representation. HSRs have recently been involved in high-profile cases, like our safety champion Theo Seremetidis and Qantas, but every day they prove how invaluable they are. By helping empower more members with HSR training, we can continue to hold PCBUs to account.
Case in point: Just within the last month, Aldi once again proved their arrogance and disregard for their workers by trying to undermine a Provisional Improvement Notice issued by an HSR. When SafeWork NSW visited the site, Aldi tried to deflect the matter entirely, and by doing so pointed to a risk they were subjecting workers to, leading them to be slugged with an Improvement Notice by the safety watchdog.
The TWU continues to fiercely advocate for injured workers and are proud to do so in part through our affiliation with the Worker’s Health Centre, and I continue to hold a position on the board to bolster that advocacy for transport workers. The Worker’s Health Centre is the only not-for-profit union affiliated workplace rehabilitation provider in NSW – having been in business for 49 years, looking after injured workers and their families in our community.
I would like to highlight some of the amazing work that’s been done by Emily Armstrong, TWU Safety & Education Official, who is now a registered educator with the TWU for the purposes of HSR and delegate training. Knowledge is power – and growing the department is something we’re very pleased about because this means our members have more access to quality education, and Emily will be out and about providing training to our members. Keep an eye out for Emily at our sub-branches.
Just recently, at the Sydney Sub-branch and at the Newcastle and Northern Sub-branch, we undertook a Comcare approved HSR training course with members to empower them to champion safety in their workplaces. Over a thorough five-day course, members put their training into action, inspecting the workplace to identify potential risks.
As I reflect on the first few months of this year, it’s been great to see more women coming into the transport industry. We’ve been seeing more faces in training and encourage women to participate in their union. It’s a fact that union workplaces are safer, because workers are more likely to speak up when they are unionised. We know that union workplaces are safer, and have better pay and conditions, and we want women to have a slice of that pie.
We continue to fight for worker’s rights in this space, and I’m proud to belong to a fighting union.
Marija Marsic • Assistant State Secretary