DELEGATES RALLY: DRIVERS HOLD WOOLWORTHS
ACCOUNTABLE FOR COST EXPLOSIONS
Over 500 transport workers demonstrated outside the Woolworths store in
Rosehill to highlight the situation being faced by thousands of drivers around Australia
who are not receiving a safe rate of pay or cost recovery from the powerful transport
clients like the major retailers.
Truck drivers moved from Rosehill Racecourse to Woolworths Rosehill where a demonstration was held against the retailing giant.
Tony Sheldon, TWU National Secretary, Sharon Burrow, ACTU President and drivers addressed the demonstration.
Drivers and the Transport Workers Union are continuing their campaign for a national system of safe rates and cost recovery for owner-drivers and employees that holds the economically powerful transport clients like Coles and Woolworths accountable for their responsibilities to the drivers.
TWU Secretary Tony Sheldon: “Drivers continue to cry out for a national system that gives them the ability to obtain a safe and enforceable rate of pay and seek full cost recovery from major retailers like Woolworths to get relief from rising costs of living, rising costs of maintaining a safe truck and fuel spikes.
“It is the big powerful transport clients who continually tell the public that they are raising prices in their stores because of increased transport costs. It is high time that there is a national system in place to ensure that these retailers are held accountable in bringing relief to drivers around Australia.
“Woolworths like the other major retailers continue to post massive profits yet it is the drivers who are having to absorb the ever rising costs of living, hikes in the cost of maintaining things like brakes and tyres and spikes in fuel costs.”
The transport industry is a tough and hyper competitive sector that can be extremely dangerous. Last year the transport industry recorded a 5.4% increase in fatalities from heavy vehicle incidents, while wages across the industry were driven down by the nonunionised sector by 5.6%.
“This campaign is as much about the safety of all drivers as it is about protecting every other motorist who shares the road”, Mr Sheldon said.
“Every death on our road from a heavy vehicle incident has an impact all members of the community.
Media contact Josh McIntosh 0408 463 199.
1 August 2008
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