The transport industry is one of the most dangerous in Australia. Today is International Workers Memorial Day and we encourage all members to remember that workplace health and safety is a priority and a non-negotiable.
We all deserve the right to work in a safe workplace so that we can return home safe and well at the end of the shift. If any members are marking the day, send a photo to jgregory@twu.asn.au
Attention all TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) delegates, occupational health and safety representatives and members.
Wayne Mader, TWU stalwart and Branch Secretary, retires.
The TWU (Vic/Tas) Branch Committee of Management (BCOM) has accepted the resignation of State Secretary Wayne Mader following 32 years as an elected official.
Members are assured that a proper and orderly succession plan – designed to drive the Union forward into the future – has been put into place.
Wayne has been a Branch member for 45 years and was a workplace delegate prior to being appointed a Branch Organiser in 1983. He was elected Branch Assistant Secretary in 2007 and Branch Secretary in 2009.
Wayne’s hard-work and dedication, as part of the Victoria and Tasmania Branch team, in helping to protect jobs and improve wages, conditions and health and safety standards for many thousands of members can only be admired. These contributions will always be remembered and Wayne leaves the Union in outstanding order for our present and future members.
“The interests of the Union are always first and foremost. I leave it, and the membership, in a strong and effective position,” Wayne said.
“I am very proud of all the great things achieved by the current team, and their predecessors, and the members. A personal highlight has been the successful fight to achieve TWU Super, the stand-alone superannuation fund for all transport workers.”
Wayne and successor John Berger have worked shoulder-to-shoulder for many years, along with delegates and officials, and the Branch will continue to operate with honesty, drive and commitment now and into the future.
John has been a TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) member for 30 years. He worked as an Ansett aircraft loader for 10 years before starting with the Union 20 years ago.
Since joining the Union, John has been elected to the Branch Committee of Management, elected as an organiser, seconded to the Federal Office and elected to the position of Assistant Branch Secretary.
Senior organiser Chris Fennell has been elected Branch Assistant Secretary, both John and Chris were appointed by the rank-and-file BCOM.
Wayne’s term of office ended on Friday, 29 April. John has taken over effective immediately.
A final word from Wayne: “Please give your delegates, occupational health and safety representatives, John Berger, Chris Fennell and the rest of the team your support and assistance. We are stronger together.”
A HARD-WORKING, DECENT BLOKE: Wayne Mader congratulated on his retirement by newly-elected TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) Branch Secretary John Berger (R) and newly-elected Assistant Branch Secretary Chris Fennell.
Where are the Coalition’s plans for jobs and growth? These one-word slogans are being thrown around by the Coalition without any real explanation as to how they will help ordinary, working Australians.
A plan is a detailed set of intended actions for doing or achieving specific goals. In any other walk of life those presenting strategies with far-reaching consequences on people and budgets are expected to present a list of steps with timing and resources.
My fear is the Coalition are going to the 2 July Federal election with nothing but buzz words.
Federal election pre-poll voting centres opened last week and, if recent trends continue, over four million people will cast their vote before 2 July.
This election will be crucial for workers in making big choices about fairness. It is now clear that, once again, workers’ rights will be under attack from a Turnbull Coalition Government.
The Turnbull Government’s first budget failed to deliver for workers and few, if any, of their pro-business policy announcements made so far during this campaign will benefit TWU members.
If jobs and growth are so important, why have the Coalition flagged policies – like a GST increase and funding cuts to Medicare, public education and hospitals – that will make life more expensive for many Australians?
Why have the Coalition promised a $48 billion corporate tax cut without precisely explaining how these cuts will create jobs for Australian workers? If they had a good explanation they would be shouting it from the rooftops – their silence says it all.
The kicker is that these cuts will be partly funded by the introduction of an extra 15-per-cent exit tax on certain aspects of your hard-earned superannuation. CPA Australia have condemned these reforms after an internal poll of members found one in four accountants said 30-per-cent of their clients would be worse off. And all of this to feather the nest of already rich companies and shareholders – many of both based overseas. You just couldn’t make this stuff up.
Coalition visa rule and foreign ownership changes have allowed more foreign workers into Australia, while at the same time the Coalition have overseen an economy which has failed to support local businesses – something which would have saved local jobs and stopped a halt in growth. The list of failings for working people under Malcolm Turnbull’s Coalition is long, and ever growing. It overlooked the much-needed work of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, instead choosing to undermine safety and play politics. Like the Trade Union Royal Commission, and the renewed push for the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the attack on the RSRT was about seeking to further attack the reputation and important role of the union movement in standing up for working people.
Whichever party gains power on or after 2 July, the basic principles of workers’ rights will still hold true. Solidarity. Strength in numbers. Collective action and support.
However, this election is critical to send a message that Australians deserve a government that will stand up for workers and their families, and not one whose only interest is in seeing the big end of town get further ahead.
And remember, many TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) members take a well-earned holiday from work when their kids are on school holidays. So if you are going to get away – don’t forget to vote, in an election this close you need to make it count.
A plan is a detailed set of intended actions for doing or achieving specific goals. In any other walk of life those presenting strategies with far-reaching consequences on people and budgets are expected to present a list of steps with timing and resources.
My fear is the Coalition are going to the 2 July Federal election with nothing but buzz words.
Federal election pre-poll voting centres opened last week and, if recent trends continue, over four million people will cast their vote before 2 July.
This election will be crucial for workers in making big choices about fairness. It is now clear that, once again, workers’ rights will be under attack from a Turnbull Coalition Government.
The Turnbull Government’s first budget failed to deliver for workers and few, if any, of their pro-business policy announcements made so far during this campaign will benefit TWU members.
If jobs and growth are so important, why have the Coalition flagged policies – like a GST increase and funding cuts to Medicare, public education and hospitals – that will make life more expensive for many Australians?
Why have the Coalition promised a $48 billion corporate tax cut without precisely explaining how these cuts will create jobs for Australian workers? If they had a good explanation they would be shouting it from the rooftops – their silence says it all.
The kicker is that these cuts will be partly funded by the introduction of an extra 15-per-cent exit tax on certain aspects of your hard-earned superannuation. CPA Australia have condemned these reforms after an internal poll of members found one in four accountants said 30-per-cent of their clients would be worse off. And all of this to feather the nest of already rich companies and shareholders – many of both based overseas. You just couldn’t make this stuff up.
Coalition visa rule and foreign ownership changes have allowed more foreign workers into Australia, while at the same time the Coalition have overseen an economy which has failed to support local businesses – something which would have saved local jobs and stopped a halt in growth. The list of failings for working people under Malcolm Turnbull’s Coalition is long, and ever growing. It overlooked the much-needed work of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal, instead choosing to undermine safety and play politics. Like the Trade Union Royal Commission, and the renewed push for the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the attack on the RSRT was about seeking to further attack the reputation and important role of the union movement in standing up for working people.
Whichever party gains power on or after 2 July, the basic principles of workers’ rights will still hold true. Solidarity. Strength in numbers. Collective action and support.
However, this election is critical to send a message that Australians deserve a government that will stand up for workers and their families, and not one whose only interest is in seeing the big end of town get further ahead.
And remember, many TWU (Vic/Tas Branch) members take a well-earned holiday from work when their kids are on school holidays. So if you are going to get away – don’t forget to vote, in an election this close you need to make it count.
Australia Post/StarTrack new domestic air-freighter network
Qantas and Australia Post today announced a new dedicated domestic air-freighter network to be used exclusively by Australia Post and StarTrack customers.
The dedicated network will consist of six freighter aircraft featuring StarTrack livery, with continued priority access to cargo space in the Qantas Group's passenger fleet. Five of the dedicated StarTrack freighters will come from Qantas Freight's existing fleet, with a soon to be delivered sixth larger aircraft, a Boeing 737-400, joining the fleet.*
To be launched in July this year – the network is part of the five year contract, with a value in excess of $500 million, signed last year for the transport of Australia Post's domestic mail, parcels and Express Post until mid-2020.
Dedicated Australia Post/StarTrack fleet:
From July 2016, the network will service nine destinations across the east and west coast of Australia and include the following aircraft:
- 1x B737-400 (an additional aircraft to be operated by Express Freighters Australia, Qantas Freight's wholly-owned subsidiary freighter management company)
- 2 x B737-300 (part of existing Qantas Freight Fleet)
- 3 x BAE146-300 (part of existing Qantas Freight Fleet)
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