PFD BANJUP STANDS UP AGAINST UNION BUSTING
Union members at PFD Banjup stood up to management’s union busting by walking off the job in protest in the early hours of the morning.
PFD Banjup management reached a new low by targeting a loyal employee, TWU delegate, and Health and Safety Representative (HSR) through a clear disregard for Procedural Fairness.
Our delegate is a truck driver who has worked at PFD for six years, consistently standing up for his colleagues' rights and
conditions as a TWU delegate and HSR.
Despite his commitment and service, management has continued to target him unfairly.On Wednesday, PFD management further escalated the situation by issuing a show cause letter, demanding a response within 24 hours and standing him down without pay—once again ignoring basic principles of Procedural Fairness.
This follows multiple instances of him being unfairly singled out and scrutinised without just cause.
Upon hearing of this blatant breach of PFD’s policies and procedures, TWU members at PFD took a stand, walking off the job until management listened to their concerns.
As a result of this collective action, PFD management has now extended the show cause period and accepted to pay the driver during his stand-down period.
TWU members at PFD remain united and committed to ensuring justice for their longtime workmate!
TWU SUPER MERGER TEAM SUPER LAUNCH & WHAT MEMBERS NEED TO KNOW:
We’re excited to share that on 21 March 2025, the merger with TWUSUPER was successfully completed.
We’re now a larger fund with over $21 billion in funds under management and over 150,000 members.
This scale gives us greater opportunities to further enhance our products and services, and a strong foundation for future growth.
To support the merger, Mine Super rebranded to Team Super on Monday, 20 January 2025.
Watch the above video to learn more about the benefits of Australia's top super funds for transport, energy and mining having joined forces to become Team Super.
To learn more scan the QR code or visit this website: https://www.teamsuper.com/about/merger
MINRES' ONSLOW ROAD:
The Transport Workers’ Union is calling for urgent action as MinRes’ private haul road in Onslow continues to put truck drivers' lives at risk.
The road, built at a staggering cost of $2.6 billion to transport iron ore from Ken’s Bore mine to the Port of Ashburton, has been plagued by safety failures since day one. In less than a year, six rollovers have occurred—forcing a five-day shutdown last week after the latest incident.
This is not just a logistical failure; it’s a disaster waiting to happen. Triple road trains, each weighing more than a fully laden Airbus A350, must leave every five minutes, every hour of the day, for the next three decades just to meet MinRes’ aggressive shipping targets.
The TWU has repeatedly warned that safety cannot take a backseat to corporate profits. An AMC report commissioned by MinRes itself flagged serious concerns over the road’s width. With lanes only 4 metres wide and trucks spanning 2.5 metres, drivers are left with a dangerously narrow gap when
A ROLLOVER DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN
passing each other every 2.5 minutes. The numbers don’t lie: this road is a death trap.
MinRes must also look at its assessment and training of drivers. This road has been built especially to cart Iron Ore, it is not your usual road. It is the responsibility of MinRes to train and assess drivers to give them the tools to travel this road safely.
During the recent closure, MinRes rerouted trucks onto public roads, increasing risks for the Onslow community and exposing the wider public to the company’s reckless decision-making.
The TWU stands with the drivers and the community in demanding better protections for all road users. The failures on MinRes’ haul road aren’t just about poor infrastructure—they’re about a company prioritising profits over the safety of the workers who keep this industry moving.
The TWU welcomes WorkSafe’s
report and urges MinRes to act before tragedy strikes. If MinRes won’t put safety first, then it’s time for regulators to step in and do it for them.
TWU WINS! NEW RIGHTS FOR OWNER DRIVERS!
THESE NEW LAWS ARE JUST ONE PIECE OF THE PUZZLE
New rights against unfair contract terminations are now in effect, protecting owner drivers and transport operators from being unfairly kicked off the job.
Plus, all TWU members have full representation against unfair contract termination.
But this is just one piece of the puzzle.
We’re using TWU-won laws to drive industry-wide reform, tackle unfair contracts, and hold wealthy clients accountable.
THIS FEDERAL ELECTION
YEARS.
TWU members, organisers, and officials are reaching out to TWU members to explain the importance of your vote in the upcoming Federal Election. In August 2024 the Labor Government’s world first Transport Reform legislation came into effect.
But the same day it was passed in Parliament, Peter Dutton pledged to overturn it if elected to government.
We are urging TWU members to use their vote to protect Transport Reform legislation, which has delivered higher wages, provided job security and will make our roads and workplaces’ safer for transport workers, by voting for Trish Cook and Labor.
HOW LABOR’S TRANSPORT REFORM HELPS YOU
1. A POWERFUL VOICE FOR TRANSPORT
The TWU sits on the Road Transport Advisory Group (RTAG) of the Fair Work Commission (FWC)to give transport workers a powerful voice and ensure safe, fair, sustainable standards in transport.
2. ADDRESSING DEADLY PRESSURE
Standards will apply throughout supply chains, stopping the squeeze from wealthy clients that puts deadly pressure on operators and drivers. Transport workers won’t need to accept pay freezes or wage cuts to ensure their companies keep contracts
3. JOB SECURITY FOR ALL
Standards to end exploitation in the gig economy and protections against unfair contract terminations will mean all transport jobs and the standards protecting them will be more secure.
4. ALL TRANSPORT WORKERS WILL BE COVERED
The FWC can set standards for any section of the transport industry, covering anything related to transport. Under the legislation, a new Road Transport Objective must be satisfied, which is for a safe, sustainable and viable transport industry. This is a system for all TWU members.
WE'RE SPEAKING TO MEMBERS ABOUT THE FEDERAL ELECTION AND HOW IMPORTANT VOTING TO PROTECT THIS LEGISLATION IS FOR TRANSPORT WORKERS
Together, we have achieved world-leading reform, by passing the ‘Closing the Loopholes’ legislation. And this legislation will save lives. We have made applications to Fair Work for world-first minimum standards in food and beverage delivery, last mile (parcel) delivery, and contract chain orders to ensure fair payment terms for owner drivers.
SAM LIM, LABOR’S CANDIDATE FOR TANGNEY TRISH COOK, LABOR'S CANDIDATE FOR BULLWINKEL
TANIA LAWRENCE, LABOR'S CANDIDATE FOR HASLUCK
KAREN WHEATLAND, LABOR'S CANDIDATE FOR DURAK,
TRACEY ROBERTS, LABOR'S CANDIDATE FOR PEARCE
Have all pledged to protect our hard-won transport reform. Because, the Albanese government listens to transport workers. Meanwhile, Peter Dutton has promised to be the friend of big business. That is why he has voted against Transport Reform, and he has promised to undo these reforms under a government he leads.
At this election, transport workers face a threat to their safety. That’s why these candidates have committed to protect the gains we have made and to keep the momentum.
It is only with a Government that listens to transport workers that our union can reshape Australia’s deadliest industry.
TOM FRENCH, LABOR'S CANDIDATE FOR MOORE
VETERANS LUNCHEON
It was a pleasure to host TWU's Veterans this month for a regular vets lunch. These long-term TWU members have served on average between 20 and 50 years as TWU members in the transport industry and visit us at the TWU office often. It's great to get the Vets together to hear their tall tales and remember the good old days of transport work! They know how important standing up against the erosion of the workplace conditions, they fought for when they were on the job, is. Frank Cherry, a long-time TWU member and bus driver wrote to us after the event to thank the staff on a great experience - lovely to hear from you Frank!
WINNERS ARE GRINNERS
We've been giving away some great prizes to members to reward efforts to promote union membership and encourage people to join their union.
Congratulations to our delegates who are sending in photos of their updated noticeboards.
If you would like to enter, you can simply download a noticeboard pack from here:
And email a photo of your updated noticeboard to info@twuwa.org.au and you'll be entered in the monthly draw to win a $100 gift card!
And Congratulations to Patrick for winning the grand prize in our promotion to remain financial through March.
IT PAYS TO BE UNION!!
STATE ELECTION WIN!
Congratuations and thank you to every TWU member and supporter who helped elect a Labor government at the State Election on March 8th.
Your dedication to our movement is powerful!
Now the real work starts, holding this government to account on the promises they made our members.
Lorna Clarke, the most recently elected TWU member gave her inaugral speech to parliament on Tuesday. You can watch it here: https://www.facebook.com/twuwa/videos/1010093311057509
