The NSW Industrial Relations Commission has raised the minimum rates for owner drivers in the Sydney metropolitan area under the
The NSW Industrial Relations Commission has raised the minimum rates for owner drivers in the Sydney metropolitan area under the NSW General Carriers Contract Determination.
Owner drivers in NSW are protected by a minimum rate of pay under the Determination, divided into ‘hourly rates’ and ‘running costs’. This is calculated taking into account many variable factors including the weekly rates of pay for other transport workers, insurance and CTP green-slip rises, fuel rises and general rises in motor vehicle parts and accessories.
The NSW IRC accepted the application by the Transport Workers Union for a rise in the ‘hourly rates’ of between 3 and 5 percent, depending on the weight and age of the vehicle. The Commissioner also accepted an application to raise the ‘running costs’ between 3 and 3.6 percent, again depending on the size and age of the vehicle.
State Secretary of the TWU Tony Sheldon says the decision will allow owner-drivers in Sydney to begin to meet the costs of maintaining and operating a safe vehicle as a business.
“Safety needs to be the number-one priority in the transport industry, therefore we need to ensure that all owner-drivers have minimum rates of pay so that they can safely maintain their vehicles and make a decent living,” he says.