The Australian Senate passed new laws aimed at controlling minimum truck driver pay, compensating drivers for waiting time at shipping docks and resolving disputes among carriers, shippers and drivers.
According to ABC News Online, the new rule establishes a Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal which could hold all links in the supply chain accountable for road safety. The panel will have the power to set certain pay conditions as well as resolve disputes and inquire into industry practices.
The passing of the law follows a campaign by the Transport Workers Union which lobbied for rules to protect drivers from pressure to work long hours or speed.
However, critics of the law say it’s heavy handed, giving the panel the ability to intervene in private contracts between businesses.
Last year in the U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio introduced a bill that would require shippers and receivers to pay a fee for detention of drivers beyond the established time and authorize civil penalties against shippers for failure to pay for unreasonable detention time.
