An urgent Fair Work Commission (FWC) conference will take place this Wednesday to hear an application aiming to shield gig workers, owner drivers and transport businesses from surging fuel prices, by requiring transport clients to pay for increases.
The TWU and the peak transport employer body, the Australian Road Transport Industrial Organisation (ARTIO) have made the joint FWC application urging wealthy industry clients (including manufacturers, miners, retailers and gig companies) to commit to quickly modifying fuel cost payments to transport businesses, owner drivers and gig workers to keep workers safe, transport operations in business, and vital supplies moving efficiently around the country.
The conference will bring together dozens of transport employers, transport clients and gig platforms, using laws passed by the Albanese government enabling the entire transport industry to work towards solutions. With transport workers and businesses already under immense pressure and unable to absorb fuel increases themselves, the TWU and ARTIO are calling for industry clients to provide meaningful relief.
Already this year, 30 people have died in truck crashes on Australian roads, including 9 truck drivers, and transport company liquidations have shot up 48% from the last year.
The conference comes as several transport clients and gig platforms-after receiving notification of the FWC proceedings-put in place interim measures to address fuel spikes:
· Woolworths has lifted the fuel levy drivers can charge, and increased the frequency of its fuel levy reviews from monthly to fortnightly
· Coles will also review its fuel levy for truck drivers every fortnight
· Didi has introduced a 5c per kilometre increase which will go directly to drivers
· DoorDash has introduced a similar measure but will fully absorb the costs itself
· Uber will not absorb the costs and has permanently increased fares for customers a decision which will see drivers earn an average of 6% more
The TWU is continuing discussions with these and multiple other clients of transport to work towards solutions that don't unfairly burden drivers and transport businesses which are least able to absorb skyrocketing fuel costs.
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said:
"The Albanese government's new laws in transport are allowing the industry to come together to find solutions to problems like the current fuel price spikes.
"We know there are some clients of transport out there doing what they can to ensure transport businesses and workers get through this crisis. We've now seen those like Woolworths, Coles and the gig platforms coming forward with initial steps to provide relief for those carrying out critical transport work. But we also know there are those telling drivers to go out and get a loan to cover their increasing petrol costs. If transport margins are down to the wire, safety and maintenance starts being squeezed as well people will die, businesses will go under and supply chains will be unable to keep up - we have to see clients of transport paying these increases, not putting the burden on those least able to wear it.
"We're calling on all industry participants to identify and quickly adopt effective fuel spike funding solutions through the Fair Work Commission process this week to keep workers safe, transport operations in business, and supplies moving around the country."
Notes
In 2024 the Albanese government amended the Fair Work Act to ensure the FWC had power to deal with pressures on workers and businesses in Road Transport. The FWC has the power to make Contract Chain Orders to ensure that the industry
