Labor MP joins TWU boss in advocating the need for the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal.
The Federal Government’s silence on its plans for the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) is continuing to stoke concerns within the union movement for the agency’s future.
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) is convinced the tribunal is headed for the scrapheap and today held a gathering in the Sydney electorate of Greenway to voice its support for the RSRT.
A review into the RSRT has been completed, but the Government is yet to announce its findings or if it plans to retain the tribunal.
TWU National Secretary Tony Sheldon and federal Labor MP for Greenway Michelle Rowland joined truck drivers today to push for the RSRT to be retained.
“Our message to the Federal Government is simple: road safety is not ‘red tape.’ Don’t cut the RSRT. Let the national safety watchdog do its work in saving lives on Australia’s roads,” Sheldon says.
Owner-driver Mark Trevillian says drivers are forced to drive too fast or too long to meet unrealistic delivery deadlines.
“At the moment owner drivers are just stretched to the absolute limit and something’s got to give,” he says.
“There’s got to be corners cut. Either working longer hours or not servicing the vehicle, running tyres to the absolute bare minimum.
“The money is just not there to do everything properly and safely. That’s why we need the RSRT.”
The tribunal has the power to mandate pay rates, terms and conditions for employee and owner-drivers in individual sectors or throughout the supply chain to improve safety.
Rowland says there are more than 1,000 truck drivers in the Greenway electorate and that they will face more economic pressure if the Government abolishes the RSRT.
“No one should be forced to break the law, risk a crash and take the chance on being killed on our roads, because of unfair economic pressure from clients,” she says.
“The Blacktown community is against the Government’s plans. It’s time the Government listened to the public and left this road safety watchdog to do its work.”