OCTOBER MONTHLY OCTOBER MONTHLY WHEEL WHEEL
SECRETARY ADDRESS POLITICIANS MUST CONTINUE LISTENING TO THE VOICE OF THE WORKER As we move towards the end of 2026, I want to take a moment to reflect on the work our union has been doing to make transport better for workers. The TWU has tirelessly campaigned for Safe and Secure Skies, with calls for an aviation industry regulation council. Earlier this year, the TWU reached success, with the Federal Government committing to establishing an Aviation Industry Coordination Council, following years of campaigning by the TWU for a long-term solution to the problems facing aviation. With preparations now underway for the Council to commence in 2027, our job is to make sure it has the power to deliver real reform. We need industry-wide standards, better collaboration between airlines, airports, workers, regulators and government, proper dispute resolution, and decision-making that puts the safety and needs of the Australian community first. The recent Qantas Freight dispute and upcoming Virgin cabin crew strikes are exactly why this Council is needed. We cannot continue with the Joyce-era model of pitting workers against one another. Aviation needs coordinated industry standards that lift conditions across the sector, rather than a race to the bottom. And our fight for a fairer transport industry does not stop with aviation. With fuel prices continuing to put pressure on workers, we have continued pushing for those at the top of the supply chain to carry their fair share of the costs.
In WA, we are also fighting for owner drivers and subcontractors operating vehicles under 4.5 tonnes. These workers are currently left without minimum pay standards, while carrying the costs of fuel, insurance, maintenance and repairs themselves. The TWU is calling on the State Government to update the Owner Driver legislation so these workers finally receive the protections they deserve. We are also preparing for the next round of bargaining for bus drivers through our Road to Respect campaign. We are fighting for stronger job security, including pathways for casual workers into permanent full-time positions, while continuing to call on the Government to address rising antisocial behaviour by giving bus security guards the powers they need to keep workers and passengers safe. This work with governments is vital. We need to make sure working people have a voice in what gets pushed through Parliament and what our politicians fight for. But our influence in Parliament means nothing without the strength of workers on the ground. This month, SCT workers at one of our union’s strongest yards took 24 hours of protected industrial action after multiple stop-work meetings. Bridgestone workers also took two 96-hour strikes, standing up against outdated parental leave provisions and fatigue conditions that are making their work unsafe.
After the TWU successfully fought for the fuel order earlier this year, we have continued lobbying for it to be reinstated since it expired in August.
Our National Secretary, Michael Kaine, also visited our branch this month, meeting workers at TGE, Brownes and SCT to thank members for continuing to stand up against the greed that continues to plague our industry.
We recently appeared before the Fair Work Commission, and we now welcome the Commission’s notice of its intention to bring the fuel order back.
That strength does not just come from strikes. It comes from every member who signs a petition, completes a survey, attends a meeting or stands alongside their workmates.
We will continue urging the FWC to make sure transport workers are not left carrying the burden while powerful clients continue to profit.
And this month, we are proud to take that same union strength into the streets for the LGBTQIA+ community.
The TWU will be marching alongside UnionsWA and other affiliated unions in the 2026 Pride Parade in Northbridge, led by a Toll truck at the front of the float. It is a demonstration that our union stands for safe, respectful and inclusive workplaces for everyone. The history of the union movement shows us that workers have always stood up for the rights of others. F rom the Builders Labourers Federation’s historic pink bans in the 1970s to unionists standing alongside the first Sydney Mardi Gras, union power has always been about more than wages and conditions. It is about standing together when people are being discriminated against. That is what unionism means. This year, the TWU has fought for you in your yards, on the streets and in Parliament. We have fought to make sure that when decisions are made about our industries, the voices of the people who actually keep this country moving are heard. The efforts made in Parliament over the last few months are nothing without the strength of workers taking action month after month, relentlessly fighting for a fairer transport industry. So, for the work you continue to do on the ground, I thank you. And I ask you to keep supporting your union’s campaigns, whether that means signing a petition, taking part in a survey, standing up in your workplace or joining us in Pride. The more TWU presence we have, the stronger the message we can send to politicians, governments and the companies we negotiate with that we are serious about action. Because we are the workers who carry Australia. And when we fight, we win.
PRIDE 2026! PRIDE 2026! NOV 28 NOV 28 NORTHBRIDGE NORTHBRIDGE 8PM 8PM
Join us as we proudly celebrate our LGBTQIA+ workmates and their contributions to our industry, economy, and community. March with us through the streets of Northbridge as we proudly celebrate and continue to stand up for the LGBTQIA+ community with the message Queer or straight, you're our workmate!
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INDUSTRY NEWS EMERGENCY FUEL LIFELINE MUST BE REINSTATED TO DELIVER RELIEF TO TRANSPORT INDUSTRY With drivers and transport operators once more pushed to the brink by soaring fuel prices, the TWU is calling for the reinstatement of a lapsed emergency order to provide a lifeline to the industry. This month, following the TWU’s meeting with the FairWork Comission, a Notice of Intent to bring back the fuel order has been issued. The TWU is now urging the FWC to act on this notice to ensure clients at the top of the supply chain pay their fair share. UPDATES TO COME!
This month, TWU female delegates attended the Anna Stewart Memorial Program and the Busting for Change amenities campaign, raising awareness of the issues women face working in male-dominated industries. But one TWU delegate at Cabin Services Australia was initially denied delegate leave to attend the programs, despite the leave specifically intended for delegate training and development. CSA deemed the programs outside the scope of the delegate role. The TWU disagreed. After the TWU publicly called out the decision on social media, CSA eventually agreed to allow the delegates to attend, but only on the condition that the Facebook post highlighting the issue was deleted. What a way to admit you got it wrong!
The Busting for Change campaign is about more than a day of training. It’s about basic dignity and safety at work. Transport workers are still being forced to pee in bottles because they cannot access basic amenities. Workers are holding it in for hours, putting their health at risk, all while doing the essential work that keeps this country moving. No transport worker deserves this. The Busting for Change campaign is calling for changes to the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 to ensure every WA worker has access to safe, clean and adequate amenities at work. Sign the petition to demand better!
YOUR WORKPLACE This month, SCT workers held two stop work meetings and a 24-hour strike to fight back against management bullying and unfair conditions that leave their jobs unsecure.
BRIDGESTONE WORKERS TAKE 96-HOUR STRIKE ACTION...TWICE!
Workers are fighting for: Fair fatigue protections
Wage increases in line with CPI Dignity in retirement
Parental leave in line with 2026 standards
DELEGATES TRAINING TWU delegates came together last month at the TWU office for training to build their skills, knowledge and confidence to stand up for their workmates. When delegates are equipped with the right tools and knowledge, they’re better prepared to represent members, fight for better pay and conditions, and hold employers accountable.
TWU NATIONAL SECRETARY VISITS WA TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine visited Perth this month to catch up with WA members and Delegates and thank them for their dedication to the 2026 fight to lift industry standards and force clients to pay up! Site visits were held at Brownes Dairy, SCT, TGE IPEC and TGE Priority, offering members a chance to speak with Mr Kaine and to hear all about union achievements in 2026. As the year comes to a close, members are preparing for what next year will bring under powerful TWU leadership and a strong member-led movement!
AVIATION IS FIGHTING BACK!
TWU Perth Qantas Ground workers joined hundreds of Qantas ground workers at Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth Airports following a breakdown in negotiations to call for more full-time jobs and hours, for workers to be brought back under a single Qantas banner to reduce deadly safety failings, and for fair pay in line with industry standards after a decade of wage suppression. It’s time for Qantas to live up to the Spirit of Australia and put forward a genuine offer!
CABIN CREW DESERVE BETTER Virgin Cabin Crew Staff Vote on Taking Protected Industrial Action
After months of negotiations with Virgin refusing to listen on key issues like safer duty hours, TWU Virgin cabin crew have just applied for the right to take protected industrial action. Cabin crew deserve an agreement that delivers fair pay, safer conditions and a better work-life balance! The strain of excessive duty hours on crew is impacting: Fatigue and safety Health and wellbeing Work‑life balance Long‑term sustainability of careers Virgin can afford a $50 million payout for ex-CEO Jayne Hrdlicka as Bain pockets billions. But safer duty hours for cabin crew is somehow too much?
Geraldton to Mt Magnet Road Safety Survey Members who regularly use the Geraldton–Mt Magnet Road to move freight are concerned about the deteriorating condition of the road.
With the wheat season approaching, we expect freight movements to increase further, placing additional pressure on the road and increasing the safety risks for transport workers and other road users. We are seeking feedback from members about their experiences using the road, including the areas they consider most unsafe, the impact of road conditions on their work, near misses they may have experienced, and where additional passing lanes could improve safety.
TTTAKE AKE THE AKE THE SURVEY SURVEY
UNION BENEFITS Reducing the impacts of financial stress: Financial worries affect most Australians at some point and with the increasing cost of living, many people are feeling the pinch. Click here to read more or scan the QR code