Sydney traffic stopped: 700 TWU members block road

Over 700 TWU members stopped Sydney traffic on Thursday 25 August, staging an act of civil disobedience to demand the government legislate for safe rates of pay in the road transport industry.

“Our members have made a stand for Safe Rates of pay in the transport industry, before more lives are lost on our roads: and the TWU stands behind our members 100 percent,” TWU State Secretary Wayne Forno said.

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“We apologise to drivers for the traffic disruptions, and ask the community to join us in our campaign for Safe Rates: to stop the 300 plus deaths each year in heavy vehicle accidents and make our roads safer for all families who use them.

“Australian truck drivers are pushed to the limit, forced into working conditions of up to 80 hours per week, 30 of those unpaid - so that greedy retail clients can grow richer.

“While the retail fat cats get richer, truck drivers drive for days on end and can’t afford to maintain their trucks. Over 300 people die on our roads in heavy vehicle accidents each year.

“If this was the mining industry there would be a royal commission.
“Until the federal government legislate a regime of safe rates for the transport industry, the deaths on our roads and un-Australian working conditions will continue.

“Large clients and retailers will always put profit before people – ripping off Aussie farmers, school children on youth wages, truck drivers and the trucking families who lose husbands, fathers and loved ones on our roads.

“Clients must be forced by law in the form of Safe Rates legislation to do the right thing: to provide Australian transport workers with the fair pay and conditions workers are entitled to in any other industry.”

Over 700 TWU members from throughout NSW and interstate blocked James Ruse Drive in Parramatta on Thursday 25 August, at the corner of Prospect Street outside Rosehill Racecourse:  to make a stand on safe rates of pay in the trucking industry.

Traffic disruptions affected Parramatta and surrounds.

The TWU apologised to drivers for any inconvenience caused and has asked the public to rally together behind the Safe Rates cause to make our roads safe for all families who use them.