Union says proposal will allow for flexibility
With major transport and logistics firms facing national industrial action, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) is making what it describes as a “final attempt” at a solution to avoid strikes.
The union will present adjustments to key job security claims allowing more flexibility for transport operators while locking in guarantees for workers’ futures.
Broadly, though each company is different, this includes moving progressively towards agreed caps on outside hire through the life of the agreement, more flexibility in the allocation of work and implementing robust consultation provisions and auditing rights to provide workers more certainty over the contracting out of work.
Read how FedEx responded to TWU claims, here
“Now is not the time for transport operators to hold workers and our communities to ransom by denying the key guarantees workers have no choice but to fight for,” TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said.
“For over 18 months, workers have acted responsibly and they’re doing so again this week by offering a very reasonable solution.
“This battle cannot drag on into Christmas, we need certainty so that transport workers can do their important work without the immeasurable stress of attacks on their jobs and intimidation tactics from their managers.
“All it will take to prevent the need for industrial action is companies to sign onto this mutually beneficial agreement.
Negotiation meetings are taking place today with Toll and BevChain, while StarTrack, FedEx and Linfox meetings will be held tomorrow.
Global Express talks will take place on Thursday, with a protected action ballot due to open a week later.
The union notes that a parliamentary inquiry into job security will take place tomorrow with the TWU and a StarTrack worker giving evidence in the morning followed by StarTrack, Toll and FedEx appearing before the committee later in the day.
The TWU reiterated its call for the federal government to “establish an independent body to set minimum binding standards which would eradicate what it called the ‘Amazon Effect’ of squeezing supply chains from the top while posing an existential threat to operators through exploitative competition like AmazonFlex”.