Michael Kaine, National Secretary
Michael has been fighting for the rights of transport workers for over 20 years ...
Workers were under significant threats from outsourcing to cheaper labour hire, and representatives from the US parent company even stepped in to unwind job security commitments made during bargaining.
Now, FedEx is attempting a “back-door” approach to renege on those commitments by engaging an underclass of owner drivers on substandard piece rates.
Under the proposal new owner drivers would face rates and conditions far inferior to current workers.
FedEx’s dangerous proposal would heap more pressure on drivers already stretched to the limit, and undermine the job security protections workers won just last year. The plan is the Amazon Effect in practice, driven by Amazon’s exploitative model that smashes wages and conditions.
If FedEx goes ahead with this, other major transport companies will be forced to do the same just to stay in the game.
The Federal Government has committed to establishing a body to set minimum, safe standards for all transport.
Recently hundreds of drivers joined convoys around Australia to call for urgent action on that commitment before more companies can join FedEx’s appalling proposal.
Transport workers are fighting for a fairer, safer industry. Join them today and secure your future.