Transport Workers Union announces it will form a community working party to expedite planning for a truck change-over at Narrabri
February 22, 2010
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) today announced it will form a community working party to expedite planning for a truck change-over at Narrabri, with a view to turning the first sod by July 1.
The Narrrabri project, which is one element in the TWU’s ‘safe rates’ campaign, is being conducted as part of a wider union goal to map the sites across the State where changeovers are required.
“We’ve been really impressed by the get-up-and-go attitude of the Narrabri community in lobbying for this truck change-over,” TWU sub-branch secretary Mick Forbes says.
“With more than 2,800 trucks passing by every day, everyone in the shire knows that a change-over with the facilities drivers need — parking bays, toilets and showers, a canteen, and so on — will dramatically improve safety on the roads.
“We cannot separate this kind of infrastructure from the creation of a safe workplace.
“We’re champing at the bit because the project here will be a chance for us to develop an efficient model we can extend across New South Wales and the rest of Australia.”
Forbes says this week he’ll be approaching the Narrabri Shire Council and the Narrabri Chamber of Commerce to propose the formation of a working party to advance the project.
“I’ll also be looking for a couple of community members to take part,” he adds.
“The idea is to have a lot of the matters under consideration by the time we convene our regular community meeting on 26 March.
“Meanwhile, we have support at the TWU state office to tackle administration and communication with the RTA and the state and federal governments.”
The TWU has already identified Dubbo and Grafton as locations requiring change-overs, and will begin work on bringing them to fruition once the Narrabri project is under way.