Sharon Bird (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Vocational Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Every day across this nation, thousands of truck drivers go to work on the roads that run through our communities—roads that they share with our families, our community and people either working or taking time to do social activities using our roads. The reality for too many of those drivers for too long has been the unconscionable pressure that is put upon them to do hours that are beyond what is reasonable.

For 20 years the Transport Workers Union, in partnership with its members and communities across our nation, has campaigned under the Safe Rates Campaign to call on governments to take responsibility for ensuring that we maximise the safety of our roads in our communities. As a result of that campaign, in 2012 the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal was established and it is doing exactly that job.

A month ago, the International Labour Organization recognised drivers' rights to safe and fair remuneration and their right to form and join a trade union and to strike. In South Korea, transport workers have mobilised against antiworker legislation in that country as they fight for decent, safe working conditions in the transport supply chain. I share the views expressed by the International Trade Union Confederation and the International Transport Workers' Federation in condemning actions taken against these workers as they simply fight for fair and safe working conditions.