Increasing pressure reported by nearly all truck driver respondents, union says
The Transport Workers Union (TWU) says almost 93 per cent of the 1,000 truck drivers involved in its survey reported feeling increasing pressure in the course of doing their jobs.
The results come as protests are held today in mainland state capitals that coincide with the second anniversary of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal’s (RSRT’s) demise.
The survey was conducted following a series of January police safety actions predominantly in New South Wales in response to a spate of fatal truck accidents there.
The TWU says the drivers nominated “the financial squeeze from major supermarkets and manufacturers, bad roads, unsafe truck stops and unrealistic deadlines” as major sources of pressure.
“Two years ago the Federal Government scrapped scrutiny and accountability on the major manufacturers and retailers like Aldi over poor rates in their supply chains,” TWU acting national secretary Michael Kaine says.
“This financial pressure means that trucks are not being maintained and drivers are being pushed to speed, drive long hours and skip mandatory rest breaks.
“This is devastating families across Australia because of truck crashes and it means drivers are copping all the blame for problems in the industry.
“The only response from the federal government to the spike in deaths has been to increase the number of speed cameras to catch drivers and to have police fine them over breaches.
“This will not solve the problems in the industry and it will not cut the number of crashes. Unless wealthy clients are held to account for low cost contracts the problem in this industry will only worsen.”
Other responses were:
- 93 per cent believe things need to change in the industry
- 87 per cent believe police operations targeting drivers will not make the roads safer
- 93 per cent believe pressure on truck drivers is continuing or has got worse in the last year
- 7 per cent believe pressure has decreased.
Top causes of pressure were:
- 54 per cent, squeeze from clients/customers
- 49 per cent, deadlines
- 44 per cent, pressure from employers
- 40 per cent, financial.
Drivers believe responsibility for fixing pressures in the industry lies with:
- 69 per cent, state/federal government
- 64 per cent, transport companies
- 63 per cent, regulators
- 54 per cent, clients/customers
- Other safety issues:
- 70 per cent, bad roads
- 66 per cent, lack of safe truck stops.