The Transport Workers Union has reignited its campaign against Coles as part of a global week of action by labour groups
Transport workers and activists have protested inside Coles supermarkets in NSW and Queensland this week, again linking the high death toll in the trucking industry to a lack of accountability higher up the retail supply chain.
The protests distributed leaflets that defended the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s draft order that aims to create a minimum rate payable to contract drivers nationwide.
While a large number of organisation, including several operators and industry groups, have made negative submissions on the draft proposal, the Transport Workers Union says Coles has deliberately avoided all discussions on its Safe Rates campaign.
“Coles has $38 billion in revenue yet continues to refuse to take responsibility of the trucks carrying its goods on our roads,” Queensland secretary Peter Biagini says.
“[Coles is] contracting down the supply chain until truck drivers are pushed to drive faster, for longer hours, skip breaks and fall asleep at the wheel working for rock bottom rates of pay.”
The union action coincides with several transport union protests around the world this week, with the International Transport Federation Workers’ Union declaring an annual “action week” for October 5 to 11.