Union welcomes regulation of traffic control industry

10 February 2010

The Australian Workers' Union will pursue a nationwide campaign to improve conditions in the safety industry following Minister for Main Roads, Craig Wallace's decision to regulate the Traffic Controllers Industry in Queensland.

"This decision by Minister Wallace will make Queensland a leader in terms of traffic control regulation in Australia.

" The AWU has been pushing hard for this sort of reform in Queensland, and we welcome the Minister's decision, "AWU Qld Branch Assistant Secretary Ben Swan said.

Union campaigns against cowboys - delinquent companies must be deregistered

"There have been too many cowboys in the industry for too long, The AWU will be advocating for delinquent companies to be deregistered and prevented from working on State Government funded works."

As the Traffic Control union, the AWU has been able to increase wages for Traffic Controllers by more than 25% in companies that have negotiated an agreement with the AWU.

Working conditions, safety standards improve at 'employers of choice'

"Not only have wages increased in those companies, who are employers of choice in the industry, but working conditions and safety standards have also improved.

Mr Swan said today's decision followed the establishment of a taskforce late last year to review a report by Queensland Workplace Rights Ombudsman.

The more than 5000 workers in traffic control critical to delivering Qld's record infrastructure program

"Traffic control management is critical to delivery of Queensland's record infrastructure program and regulation will usher in a new, safer era for traffic control management.

"Queensland has approximately 5000 workers in the traffic control industry and this number is set to increase in the coming years."

Traffic controllers still working in dangerous industry

Mr Swan also asked motorists to help traffic controllers do their jobs by obeying traffic signs around road works.

"While great steps forward have been taken in safety standards, being a traffic controller is still a very dangerous job.

" I'd ask motorists to remember that traffic controllers are there making the roads safer for motorists, but they need motorists to help them do that. The last thing anyone wants is a repeat of the tragic loss of a Controller in August last year." Mr Swan said.