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.
When I last wrote to you, I was pleased to share that we had started 2025 on the front-foot, growing the WHS department, expanding our training offering – which has seen a tangible impact as the year has progressed – and continuing to hold PCBUs to account.
Now, we are just weeks away from the 2025 SafeWork NSW Health and Safety Conference, on September 25th, where the Transport Workers’ Union is once again taking the lead and will showcase best-in-show practices for workplace safety for everyone to see. Already this year, we hosted the Planning Committee for the conference here at the TWU, discussing the training that will take place there this year.
I am proud that we put training at the forefront of our work with members.
This year, we’ve hosted near-constant training sessions both here at Minchinbury and at our Sub-branches across New South Wales, undertaking Delegate 1, 2 and 3 training, and also training countless new HSRs, some of whom have already gone on to make their workplaces safer.
Recently, two Health and Safety Representatives (HSRs) and Delegates at Lindsay Transport issued two Provisional Improvement Notices (PINs), using the new SafeWork NSW PIN book they received in TWU HSR training.
Soon after, SafeWork NSW issued an improvement notice for lack of proper PPE – a vindication of the HSR’s hard work and proof that training has many real-life applications in the workplace.
It takes a lot of work and risk to stand-up for workplace safety, but doing so brings the industry along with us. Workplaces with HSRs are safer workplaces.
I would like to once again thank Emily Armstrong, TWU Safety & Education Official, who has conducted countless training sessions on behalf of the union this year.
She has particularly stepped-up these last few months, conducting near-constant HSR and delegate training, as well as spearheading the upcoming Health and Safety Conference, and leading the Women In Transport Panel at our recent TWU Delegates conference.
It was great to see two new panelists, TWU women Alex Jabbour and Wendy Tran, (main photo) speak at conference for the first time about the challenges they’ve overcome in the workplace on behalf of other Transport Workers, and to hear about their passion for safer, fairer workplaces.
I continue to be proud of what we’ve achieved this year as a union, and particularly in the WHS space. As we head into the final months of the year, we’re only going to ramp up more as we head into 2026.
Marija Marsic • Assistant State Secretary