This week marks a significant milestone for Australia’s road transport industry as the recommendations from the “Without Trucks Australia Stops” Senate inquiry are set into motion, three years after the inquiry’s completion.
As of August 26, 2024, groundbreaking new laws have been enacted, establishing a dedicated division and expert panel within the Fair Work Commission.
This development is designed to set standards that will make the transport sector “fair, sustainable, and viable.” For the first time, transport workers and owner-drivers will have access to the Fair Work Commission.
The National Road Freighters Association (NRFA) fully supports the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) in its applications for Minimum Standards Orders and Contract Chain Orders under these new laws. The reforms address several critical issues:
Unfair Contracts: The TWU’s application seeks to enforce a maximum payment period of 30 days for all transport contracts and eliminate unfair contract terms that compel cost reductions over the duration of the contract.
Last Mile Parcel Delivery Work: Under the TWU’s proposal, workers in this sector will be entitled to fair pay and benefits that cover vehicle expenses, insurance, and labour costs. They will also receive company-funded entitlements and proper notice of contract termination.
Food and Beverage Delivery Work: This sector faces some of the harshest working conditions. The TWU’s application aims to secure pay and entitlements for these workers, ensuring coverage for vehicle expenses, insurance, and labour costs, along with fair notice of contract termination.
The NRFA celebrates the successful implementation of these reforms which now allow for applications for orders such as these to be made.
Chris Roe, NRFA board member and owner-driver, remarked: “The introduction of the ‘Closing the Loopholes’ laws and the establishment of a Road Transport Division of the Fair Work Commission is a momentous development. TWU national secretary Michael Kaine described these changes as 20 years in the making, but for many of us, this reform feels like a lifetime in the making.
“From the Razorback Blockade of 1979 to the Yass Blockade of 1989, and the disappointment following the demise of the RSRT in 2016, the unity of industry associations and major employers has finally culminated in this sophisticated legislation. It will serve as a crucial foundation for ensuring the viability, safety, and sustainability of the transport industry. I hope everyone involved shares the NRFA’s profound satisfaction with this achievement.”
Gordon Mackinlay, NRFA Past President, added: “The implementation of this legislation represents recognition from Government for years of advocacy by myself, the NRFA, and other industry groups. This is not the final step but rather the beginning of a process where industry expertise will shape future minimum standards to create a fair, viable, and safe transport industry. Our sector, being an essential service, deserves to be treated as such.”
This landmark Division for Road Transport of the Fair Work Commission provides a new chapter for Australia’s road transport industry, promising to enhance fairness and sustainability while addressing long-standing issues.
The NRFA looks forward to a future where drivers, owner-drivers and business owners can all be rewarded fairly for everything they do in this industry.
Glyn Castanelli is a former truckie and current president of the National Road Freighters Association.
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