Union signs up non-coalition state election candidates on truck driver safety promise
Transport Workers Union NSW secretary Michael Aird says 33 of tomorrow’s state election candidates have signed up to the union’s “pollie pledge” on transport industry safety and working conditions
The candidates represent the opposition Labor and Greens parties, as well as independent interests.
No members of the incumbent Liberal or National parties chose to make the pledge.
“Transport workers keep this state moving and they deserve to know where their local candidates stand on the issues that matter,” Aird says.
“I’m really pleased that 33 candidates from the Labor Party, the Greens and the independent ranks have already pledged to stand up for transport workers,” he adds.
“It’s disappointing that Liberal and National Party candidates don’t seem to think that safety, decent pay or job security are issues worth signing up to.”
As well as improved safety initiatives for bus and taxi drivers, the pledge seeks to commit candidates to a Safe Rates system for truck drivers.
It also urges candidates to support a charter of standards, worker protections and best-practice industrial agreements for all tenderers of government procurement contracts.