Sick truckies on the road despite risks, union says
STARTLING claims from the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) have suggested truck drivers are copping the brunt of the country’s Rapid Antigen Test shortage and are being forced back on the road despite being close contacts or testing positive to the virus.
TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said the National Cabinet decision to send drivers, most likely carrying the virus, back to work without even the provision of free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATS), would worsen the transport crisis in coming weeks.
“National Cabinet has cut the last thread of hope the transport industry had of recovering from chronic worker shortages,” Mr Kaine said.
“Distribution centres will become virus hotbeds sending more essential workers to the sick beds, infecting their families along the way.
“We’re already hearing reports of close contact transport workers forced to return to work, leaving childcare to sick partners. Other close contacts were handed gloves and wipes and told to keep working until they tested positive.
“These are the workers who’ve kept us going throughout the pandemic, now given no choice but to
risk their own health and that of their families.”
One worker revealed in a recent TWU survey (completed by 2500 workers in freight, food delivery, aviation, distribution centres and passenger transport) that they had tested positive again after six days of isolation and were told they didn’t require another RAT
after seven days and could return to work.
“I refused as I still had symptoms,” the worker said.
Another revealed they were “pressured to work” even though they could “barely drive the bus”.
“I refused to work the next day because I tested positive,” they said.
A third survey participant said they were being “harassed by phone calls and messages from management” telling them to return to work immediately despite being unwell.
The recent survey also revealed that workers were losing pay or being criticised for fulfilling isolation requirements, management was not informing workers they’d worked in close quarters with Covid-positive colleagues, and casual workers were feeling pressured to work while possibly infectious because they have no sick leave.
Mr Kaine said in order for the industry to survive the Omicron wave, transport workers required free and abundant RATS, prioritisation and leave for booster shots, and isolation of those most likely carrying the virus.
“Now is the time to shield the suffering industry, not detonate more virus explosions in essential workplaces,” he said.
“To lessen this significant blow, we call on all states and territories to adopt similar requirements to the Victorian Government which states all other options must be exhausted before bringing close contacts into the workplace, and that consent must be given from both worker and workplace.”