THE Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) yesterday argued in Federal Court hearings that the stay should be lifted on an order from the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal setting minimum rates of pay for owner truck drivers.
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TWU secretary Tony Sheldon yesterday said the stay was creating uncertainty for drivers and was holding up a solution to the high death toll in truck crashes.
“Every year hundreds of owner-drivers go bankrupt because they are not able to cover their costs with the tiny margins they are forced onto,” said Mr Sheldon.
“Every year hundreds of people lose their lives in truck crashes because of pressure on drivers.
“The government, transport employers and clients need to address the crisis in trucking and not stand in the way of a solution,” Mr Sheldon said.
Critics of the order and the TWU have questioned whether paying drivers more would make the roads any safer. The federal government may yet delay the order until next year.
