Owner Driver – August 2019

ownerdriver.com.au AUGUST 2019 35

TWU MichaelKaine

W

HOWOULDHAVETHOUGHT
IT?Clientshavebeenaccused
ofover-burdeningtransport
operatorswithChainof
Responsibilityreporting,which
ispilingonthepressure.The
accusationsgothatclientsare
demandingextensiveinformation,suchas
drivers’safetyplansandworkdiaries,ina bid
toensurethattheydon’tendupbeingthe
partytakentotaskifsomethinggoeswrong.
Thisisbeingtermedasthe“unintended
consequences”ofthenewrules.
Butinfactthisisexactlywhathappens
whenthesystemissetupnottoprevent
safetyproblemsfromhappeningbuttotry
todishoutblamewhentheydooccur.Itcan
comeasnosurprisethatwealthy,powerful
clientswillseektopushthatblamefurther
downthechain,gettingthetransport
operatorstocomplywithoutactuallytaking
responsibilitythemselvesforhowthey
operate.
Safetyiseveryone’sbusinessbutoursystem
needstorecognisethatthefinancialsqueeze
ontransportleaveslittleroomformanoeuvre
foroperatorsanddrivers.Theproblemisthat
safetyisalreadybeingoutsourcedandpushed
down,andnoamountofruleschangeswill
stopthataslongasthefundamentalsstaythe
same.
Theratesthatclientsforceontransport
operatorsarethesourceofmanyofthe
problemsoperatorsfaceandofthesafety
issuesintransport.Privately,operatorstalk
aboutthefinancialsqueezetheyendureand
the bullying attitude from clients.
It’s hard to resist a major retailer or
manufacturer which commands considerable
market share when they demand a 3 per cent
reduction in rates. It’s hard to say ‘no’ when
they tell you they won’t be paying you before
120 days.
These same clients are now concerning
themselves with new safety rules but don’t
seem to care a bit about the fact that they
are simply not paying enough to ensure that
their goods are delivered safely. They refuse to
acknowledge the effects that late payments
have on a business. Yet they’ll now demand
that transport operators should be the ones
to demonstrate how safe they are, when
really the power to do this lies with them,
the clients.
We need to hold clients to account over
this stranglehold on transport. Every day
the effects of this are being felt right across
the community.

SHOCKING STATISTICS
Since the start of the year to mid-July, 116
people have died in truck crashes. This is
a devastating loss of life. Since the start of
the year to the end of May, 136 transport

Under the pump

the business, not limp along with insolvency

looming.

This can only happen if the financial

pressure clients put on operators and drivers is

addressed.

Everyone has a role to play in making this

a reality. Drivers along with the Transport

Workers Union are gearing up for a busy year

next year when we intend to take action and

hold clients to account for better, safer jobs

when 200 agreements involving 38,000 workers

expire.

Now is the time for others in the industry to

showleadershipandstepup.

WORKABLESOLUTION

IftheAustralianTruckingAssociation(ATA)

stillstandsbyitsmanifestowhenitwas set up

almost 30 yearsagotoimprovesafety,then it

mustexplainwhyitrefusestoseethefinancial

pressurefromclientsastheproblem.It must

explainwhyitwon’tgetonboardwith a

solutiontoholdclientstoaccountforthe poor

ratesthroughoutourindustrythatare literally

killingpeopleanddestroyingbusinesses. It

mustexplainwhyitrefusestorepresent its

members’bestinterestsanddefendthem

againsttherelentlessbullyingfromclients.

Mostimportant,theATAmustexplain why

itthinksmaintainingitsoppositionto a

workablesolutiontoclientpressurecan be

maintainedwhenthelikesofAmazon and

UberFreightarepotentiallypoisedtodrag

standardsdownfurther.

Howeverbadthingsarenowfortransport

operatorsonrates,theymaybeaboutto get

a lotworse.Thequestioneveryoneinour

industrymustaskthemselvesis:areyou

preparedtoacceptthisorwillyoufight it?

MICHAELKAINEisthe national

secretaryofthe Transport

WorkersUnionofAustralia.

ContactMichaelat:NSW

TransportWorkersUnion,

TransportHouse,188-390Sussex

Street,Sydney,NSW2000.

[email protected]

“They

refuse to

acknowledge

the effects

that late

payments

have on a

business.”

Seekthe rightcandidates withOwnerDriver’s

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companies have become insolvent.

It is simply not credible that these

raw and terrifying statistics can be

turned around by rules which see

clients beating on the doors of transport

operators wanting to see drivers’ work

diaries. It just won’t change a thing.

Transport operators and drivers are

crying out for change that will benefit

the industry – not cause clients to heap

more pressure on. They want industry

standards so that they can operate

safe and sustainable businesses. They

want to win contracts because of their

efficient, modern trucking fleets and

high-level driver skills, not because

they’ll accept rock-bottom prices to cart

goods. They want to be able to reward

themselves and their drivers with fair

wages and to attract young drivers into

Clients are squeezing operators and drivers in a bid

to keep rates low with scant regard for safety