Industry’s industrial arms link to advise governments on greasing recovery wheels
In a move that crosses industrial relations lines, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) and Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) have written to National Cabinet to establish a Covid-safe ‘transport roadmap’.
Aimed at freight and passenger transport, the advisory document’s plan involves rapid antigen testing, transport vaccination hubs and a national aviation plan to support the safe reopening of the country.
The roadmap – said to be endorsed by a leading epidemiologist and former World Health Organisation (WHO) consultant, professor Adrian Esterman – would create uniform rules for borders, testing and vaccination requirements, developed through consultation with transport industry experts.
The aviation plan would retain skilled airport workers through AviationKeeper and ensure all airports have rapid pre-flight testing in place for passengers and crew to shield the beleaguered industry from future Covid shocks and inspire greater confidence in travel as restrictions ease.
Vaccination access to accommodate transport workers’ shift patterns and support through paid leave provisions will address barriers to vaccination highlighted in recent TWU surveys of transport workers.
“Transport has been a critically overlooked industry throughout the pandemic, leading to mass Covid outbreaks and subjecting transport workers to laborious and punishing testing regimes, border chaos and lack of access to truck stops,” the orgainisations said.
“The federal Government failed to prioritise vaccines for transport workers in road or aviation, or put in place uniform Covid rules guided by industry.
“In recent months, thousands of people nationwide have been forced into isolation after virus exposure linked to transport.”
ARTIO national secretary and Victorian Transport Association CEO Peter Anderson said now is the time for National Cabinet to act.
“Any talk about learning to live with Covid is hollow unless there’s a plan to shore up the health defences of such a critical industry as transport, which has the potential to shut down the country if the right measures are not in place,” Anderson continued.
“So much of our Covid response has had to be reactive, but we now have an opportunity to set a proactive course to build a stronger transport sector and more resilient economy.”
Read the VTA’s renewed call to governments on their pandemic pledges, here
According to TWU national secretary Michael Kaine, any plans to safely reopen the country must avoid the mistakes of the last 18 months.
“As state premiers distance themselves from a net-zero Covid goal, a new approach must be taken to reduce the risk of transmission,” Kaine said.
“Transport workers have been crying out for a national plan to support their essential, high-risk industry and this is long overdue.
“National Cabinet must seize this opportunity to establish a Covid-safe transport roadmap as a national priority to support the health of our communities and our economy.
“Vaccination goals are good, but they aren’t a silver bullet; they greatly reduce but don’t eliminate the spread.
“That’s why we need a robust Covid defence strategy targeted at the specific risks posed by the nature of essential transport work which can easily carry the virus across the nation.
“Partnering vaccination access with rapid antigen testing can give workers and the community the greatest confidence that appropriate safeguards are in place as the country reopens.”
Esterman, from the University of South Australia, believes that the proposed roadmap put forward by the TWU “is a major step forward, and if implemented, would greatly reduce the risk of interstate transmission of the virus.”