- The Guardian
- Issue #2061
Semi-trailer driving along Port Beach Road, Rous Head, in North Fremantle, Western Australia. Photo: Bahnfrend – Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Transport Workers Union (TWU) members are pushing for changes to legislation to make transport work in Australia fair, safe, and sustainable. As the TWU says:
“For years, TWU members have fought for reform to make Australia’s deadliest industry safer and fairer. We’re closer than ever to achieving this – Federal Parliament will soon be asked to vote on reform to set fair, safe, and sustainable standards in transport.
Whether an owner driver, employee driver, transport gig worker, bus driver, waste worker, Distribution Centre worker, or any other transport worker, we are coming together across the industry because this reform will change lives and save lives. Workers have been joined by transport operators, employer associations, supply chain clients, and gig companies all calling for reform to end the crisis in transport.
Transport supply chains are in crisis. Cost-cutting from wealthy clients at the top of supply chains and unfair competition from exploitative gig models cause deadly pressure on operators and drivers to delay maintenance, rush to meet unrealistic deadlines, and stay on the road too long.
Since 2011, 12 transport gig workers have been killed at work. More than 300 truck drivers have been killed since the road safety watchdog was abolished seven years ago.
The TWU is campaigning for five changes: safe industry standards, supply chain accountability, same job same pay, an end to gig exploitation, and a voice for transport.
TWU, edited for reasons of space.
