When wealthy retailers like Aldi squeeze transport, drivers are pressured to work longer hours, speed and skip mandatory rest breaks to get the job done. But Aldi refuses to acknowledge or address the risks to safety they cause in their supply chain. In fact, Aldi took the TWU to the Federal Court in an attempt to silence truckies speaking out on safety.

Coles and Woolworths have signed charters with the TWU to ensure safety in their transport supply chains. It’s time for Aldi to come to the table.

Last year alone, 44 transport workers were killed on the job.

Transport workers serve a claim on Aldi

Transport workers angry at Aldi’s refusal to address safety in their supply chains have spoken out at nationwide protests. They’re demanding Aldi puts safety first, by committing to agreed standards throughout their supply chains including:

• Safe rates of pay and conditions for all workers
• Contracts awarded based on safety not cost

Aldi loses court case attempt to gag truckies

Aldi has failed to silence the TWU and truck drivers speaking out on safety in a case it pursued through the Federal Court.

The court threw out Aldi’s charge of “misleading and deceptive conduct”, stating: “The pressure put on drivers transporting Aldi goods inevitably, but regrettably, occasioned contraventions by drivers of safety standards imposed by Aldi.”

Evidence by a truck driver in the case about being forced to drive a faulty Aldi truck “would warrant serious injury”, the judgment adds.

This is a huge victory for truck drivers and for all unions and civil society groups who should never be gagged against raising issues to do with human rights, environmental and worker abuses.