Truck drivers from StarTrack – the logistics company owned by Australia Post – have voted to hold a 24-hour strike on Thursday, in response to claims management refused an invitation to talk about job security throughout the pressures of the pandemic.
Per the ABC, the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) said the company – which is also owned by Australia Post – has been outsourcing work a lot in recent times, which is threatening the jobs of many of its employees.
BREAKING: StarTrack workers will strike for 24 hours next Thursday after the company refused to provide job security guarantees – incl. same job, same pay & caps on outside hire. #auspol
Show your support for secure transport jobs with #truckiesolidarity. pic.twitter.com/KdY0kqJ9jF
— TWU Australia (@TWUAus) September 17, 2021
The strike also comes after Aus Post delivered more parcels in the last month than it normally does over the Christmas period, usually the busiest time of year with people ordering and sending presents in the mail.
So what does that mean for all of us waiting for little online shopping treats landing on our doorsteps? Well, just like Australia Post’s recent pause on parcel post deliveries to manage overwhelming amounts of packages showing up at post offices, don’t expect to have much delivered on Thursday.
The Australian reported that in a bid to stop the planned strike, StarTrack claimed the stop-work would affect important deliveries, like COVID vaccines, live organs for transplants, and blood products. The company made a claim to the Fair Work Commission to terminate the strike for four months, on the grounds it will “endanger” a part of the population.
The TWU refuted this claim, and confirmed that the strike action will not affect important deliveries, and that transport workers “have never and would never disrupt the movement of vaccines & medical supplies.”
The union’s National Secretary Michael Kaine said these transport workers are “pandemic heroes”, and accused StarTrack of “using COVID as cover to stop workers using their rights to fight for secure jobs”.
Considering the post office is already experiencing massive amounts of deliveries to process, the strike action is likely to be a bloody big wake-up call as things come to a grinding halt later this week.
