Senate seat beckons for 30-year veteran of the union
The Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) announces new national secretary after Tony Sheldon has stepped down to run for the Senate.
Sheldon’s move comes after 30 years working with the TWU, working his way up over his time there as a member, organizer, NSW branch secretary and national secretary.
“I will continue to work on behalf of transport workers and all working families in Australia to ensure a decent future for our children and grandchildren,” Sheldon says.
“As a senator, I intend to bring the advocacy and activism from my time in the union movement to the policy level.”
Read how the TWU ended its long-running feud with Coles here
Michael Kaine steps into the role after decades at the Union, including as National Assistant Secretary.
Kain was heavily involved in the Safe Rates campaigning and has led negotiations for enterprise agreements with some of Australia’s biggest transport companies including Toll and Linfox, helping workers to win record-high superannuation, fair rates and workplace rights.
“The TWU is a strong, united organisation today with the sole focus of improving the lives of transport workers,” Kaine says.
“I will continue to build the activism among our members so they can demand better jobs and a better future.”
“We want to work with employers and employer groups which are interested in fairness.
“We want road transport and aviation companies to know that we will fight for fairness for workers at a yard and port level but also at the top of the supply chain to ensure that wealthy retailers, manufacturers, airports and airlines are held to account over working conditions,” he says.
Over the next couple of months Sheldon will remain in the hot seat to ensure a smooth transition and see out ongoing projects.