TRANSPORT

● AROUND THE YARDS
2013 - The Year of the Buses
The Transport Workers’ Union of
Australia SA/NT branch is currently
involved in negotiations with four
separate bus contractors across South
Australia and the Northern Territory.
Since June 2013, the TWU has been
involved in Protected Industrial Action,
Scope Order Applications and extensive
negotiations with bus contractors, all
in the interests of building a better
bus industry throughout Metropolitan
Adelaide and Darwin.
In the Northern Territory, the TWU and
its members from Darwin Bus Services
successfully took protected action in
a bid to improve working conditions
and pay rates for all DBS bus drivers.
Following from this, the TWU with the
support of its members from DBS made
an application for Scope Order, which,
if successful, would allow employees
of Darwin Bus Services to negotiate
a separate Agreement to better
reflect bus industry requirements and
workplace conditions.
In South Australia, the TWU and
its members from the various bus
contractors are currently engaged in
ongoing negotiations with thoughts
towards delivering real wage increases
and improving workplace conditions.
Many of the issues raised by members
are bus industry specific and shared by
many bus drivers throughout the public
transport network. Of particular concern
amongst members is the safety of both
bus drivers and the travelling public. This
is because many bus drivers have been
victims of rock throwing, bashings, gang
attacks, verbal abuse and assaults; some
of which have resulted in the bus driver
being admitted to hospital, treated for
serious injuries and now require ongoing
counselling.
Criminal offences against bus drivers
have become so numerous that
bus drivers are now classified as a
“vulnerable person” and as such, any
offences against a bus drivers will
automatically become aggravated
Time for Coles to End the Squeeze - Sam McIntosh
Your TWU is continuing to send a • Dozens of TWU members from
message to major retailers like Coles: it’s around the country
time to end the squeeze on the trucking • Concerned members of the church
industry.
and religious groups
On 7 November, Coles’ parent company
Wesfarmers held their AGM in Perth.
They announced billions of dollars worth
of profits and handed out millions of
dollars worth of bonuses to executives,
including the Managing Director or
Coles. All of this comes in the wake
of a Senior Manager at Coles recently
conceding that a key part of his job is to
cut transport costs by 5% this year.
•
•
Members of the Bangladeshi
community that have been
horrifyingly affected by Coles’ abuse
of garmet workers in Bangladesh,
and
Two brave women that became
recently widowed when their
husbands were tragically killed by
a truck driver that had been under
intolerable pressure.
But on the same day as the AGM, your
TWU was getting active right around
By getting active, your TWU is making a
real difference.
the country. While the profits were The media coverage from all of our
being announced, we were letting protests around Australia is putting
shareholders and the public know the serious pressure on Coles. The AGM
real cost of Coles’ mega profits.
results once again show that Coles can
In Adelaide, your TWU held a protest
that made Coles take notice of what is
happening on our roads. TWU delegates,
families and members of the local
community gathered out the front of
more than afford to be accountable for
the enormous footprint that they leave
on our industry. The public knows this,
not to mention Aussie farmers and food
manufacturers.
Coles’ St Clair store to make the retail But we can’t stop until Coles commits to
giant start listening. There were flags, changing the way they deal with their
signs and chanting. It was loud and the transport task.
message was clear: the time to act is We need Coles to sign on to a Safe Rates
now.
Charter and commit to safe contracting
In Perth, TWU National Secretary Tony practices and the fair treatment of
Sheldon was at the AGM telling Coles transport workers. To get involved in the
firsthand about the cost of their squeeze campaign make sure you call your TWU
on the road transport industry. At the organiser!
AGM Tony was also joined by:
Edward Lawrie
offences and attract greater penalties
including jail terms. The TWU welcomes
this change and applauds the South
Australian Police for their assistance in
addressing safety on metropolitan bus
services.
The safety of bus drivers and the
travelling public is a responsibility of
all parties concerned and a top priority
for the TWU. This is why the TWU will
continue to vigorously petition bus
contractors and members of parliament
to improve safety on buses and to work
together towards building a better, safer,
bus industry.
8 Summer 2013 - Transport Worker