Industrial body’s expertise and state organisation’s links seen as crucial
With Labor and the Transport Workers Union (TWU) pressing the case for changes to trucking’s status quo, the Queensland Trucking Association (QTA) wants the industry’s industrial body to be involved in negotiations.
As a represented entity of the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO), the QTA has called for the ARTIO to play a key role in “the establishment and development of any new framework to ensure safety and fairness for all participants in the supply chain”.
The call comes as the shadow assistant road safety minister, senator Glenn Sterle, met with various industry representatives, including the QTA, recently to discuss a range of issues facing operators.
Safety, remuneration, costs, payment terms, productivity and other matters impacting freight and logistics operators were the key topics of discussion.
Staunch ‘Safe Rates’ advocates Sterle and TWU national secretary Michael Kaine say change must come but the outcome will be more effective if industry bodies are willing to be involved in a process being couched in terms wider than that.
Read how Sterle and Kaine view their recent approach to industry bodies, here
“As the peak body tasked with representing the transport industry and its members on workplace and industrial relations matters, as well as matters before the Fair Work Commission, it is essential that ARTIO play a key role in representing industry in the development of any new framework,” QTA CEO Gary Mahon.
Mahon notes that the ARTIO, as a national body, is “uniquely placed to offer a national perspective on remuneration and safety as it applies to transport operators and those they employ because of its close integration with state-based industry groups like the QTA and others around Australia”.
“Some aspects of the previous system were misunderstood, poorly implemented, and misplaced policy,” he continues.
“It is encouraging that senator Sterle has openly stated a federal Labor government would not rush into a similar model that doesn’t work.
“However, we do recognise there is potential value in a system that ensures minimum standards involving costs, safety and labour welfare that has the endorsement of industry and operators.
“We are at least open to discussion.”
The Victorian Transport Association (VTA) backs the QTA line in what is unerstood to be a unified stance from ARTIO members.
“As the peak body tasked with representing the transport industry and its members on workplace and industrial relations matters, as well as matters before the Fair Work Commission, it is essential that ARTIO play a key role on any new version of the RSRT,” VTA CEO Peter Anderson says.
“ARTIO – as a national body focused on industrial relations for the road transport industry – is uniquely placed to offer a national perspective on remuneration and safety as it applies to transport operators and those they employ because of its close integration with state-based industry groups like the VTA and others around Australia.
“The RSRT was poorly implemented, and it is encouraging that Senator Sterle has openly stated a federal Labor Government would not rush into a similar model that doesn’t work.
“However, we do recognise the potential value of a system that ensures minimum standards of operation, safety and labour welfare, that has the endorsement of industry and operators.”