Unions kick off global transport ‘safe rates’ campaign

A worldwide campaign for safe pay rates for transport workers has been launched by the sector’s global union federation ITF. The ‘Safe rates and a safe industry- we’re in, are you?’ campaign is modelled on a highly successful initiative by Australian truck drivers’ union TWU

22 August 2014

A worldwide campaign for safe pay rates for transport workers has been launched by the sector’s global union federation ITF.

The ‘Safe rates and a safe industry- we’re in, are you?’ campaign is modelled on a highly successful initiative by Australian truck drivers. In 2012, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) won an Australia-wide safe rates law, intended to protect drivers from pressure to work long hours, speed or take drugs just to keep going.

TWU national secretary Tony Sheldon, the newly elected road transport chair of the ITF, said: “Transport work in Australia is dangerous work. Transport workers are 15 times more likely to die at work than workers in any other industry.”