Tony Sheldon has been re-elected as TWU national secretary, and is turning his attention toward better wages for truck drivers
October 6, 2010
Tony Sheldon has been re-elected unopposed to lead the Transport Workers Union, and has turned his immediate attention toward securing higher wages for truck drivers
Sheldon will continue as the national secretary of the TWU for another four years, while Michael Kaine has also been re-elected as his assistant secretary.
Sheldon says he is proud to have overseen a 5 percent membership growth between 2005 and 2009 and cites paid waiting times at Port Botany for truck drivers as a key achievement.
He says major wage negotiations will be a future challenge for the union, but it is committed to the issue.
“The membership wants to improve industry standards to leave the industry in better shape than when they entered it,” Sheldon says.
He also reiterated his desire for reform of remuneration methods in the trucking industry to ensure drivers and sub-contractors are paid enough to make ends meet.
“A report commissioned by the National Transport Commission in 2008 found a link between safety, poor rates of pay and client pressure. It recommended a new system be established to ensure drivers are adequately remunerated,” Sheldon says.
The Federal Government was due to release a paper on ways to reform driver payments in July. Despite calls from the TWU for it to be released, there has been no word from the Government.