Hundreds of members of the Transport Workers Union have stormed Aldi’s headquarters in western Sydney amid shocking allegations of workplace incidents.
Former Health and Safety Executive representative Warren Gorman told the meeting about workers who were crushed and trapped in a scissor lift in three separate incidents at the Aldi store in Balgowlah and had to be rescued by emergency services.
He alleged that in 2021, a worker got his leg trapped in the pit of a hydraulic scissor lift and emergency services had to extricate him.
About a year later, a female employee got her arm trapped in the same elevator shaft, which injured her bone.
Mr Gorman, a TWU member, said the woman would have bled to death if there had not been pressure on her arm.
“The fire department said… this is a death trap that could happen at any moment,” Gorman told the crowd.
Mr Gorman, a former health and safety representative at Aldi, carried out a report advising that an emergency exit door should be installed, but he claimed this was never done, leaving a third worker trapped in the same lift shaft.
The worker spent months in the hospital recovering from nerve damage and severed arteries.
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At a union meeting at Aldi’s headquarters, it was reported that three workers had been crushed in a scissor lift in a store (stock image)
“Three people in one store, and Aldi would not be acting in the best interests of its employees,” Gorman said.
An Aldi spokesperson did not immediately comment on the claims, but said the supermarket chain
took security incidents and reports of potential problems extremely seriously.
“We strive to ensure that our operations are safe, including taking corrective action when necessary,” the spokesperson said.
About 500 TWU members joined the protest, calling on Aldi to sign a charter on supply chain security or face compliance with new federal transportation reform laws that went into effect this week.
Under the new laws, the Fair Work Commission has set standards to make road transport safe, sustainable and profitable. This means that gig workers, couriers and truck drivers can use the Fair Work Commission for the first time.
Workers have demanded better safety in the workplace. Photo: NewsWire Handout
In May, transport workers also filed a claim with Aldi to commit to responsibilities as an employer and client in the transport sector, ensure transport workers have a voice and work with the industry to improve standards in the transport sector.
Aldi employs a number of truck drivers, but does not have a transport agreement that provides appropriate pay, working conditions and safety protection.
The rest of Aldi’s transport work is outsourced to haulier, but unlike Coles and Woolworths, Aldi has refused to negotiate a supply chain safety charter with the TWU, which aims to ensure that all transport workers it hires have safe and fair working conditions.
On Wednesday, the TWU filed its first applications under new federal transportation reform laws to reform the food delivery and last-mile industries and create fairer contracting chains.
So far in 2024, 137 people have died in truck accidents, including 33 truck drivers.
Michael Kaine, national secretary of TWU, said it was time for Aldi to sit down and improve supply chain security.
TWU national secretary Michael Kaine said it was time for Aldi to have proper conversations with workers
“There have been shocking reports of serious injuries to workers that Aldi did not take seriously,” Kaine said.
‘It’s time for Aldi to listen to its workers and get involved, or step aside.
“To pass life-saving transportation reform legislation, the entire transportation industry has come together to find a way to improve this sector.
“Aldi continues to bury its head in the sand and we call on Aldi to work with us on supply chain safety,” he said.
‘We are prepared to use the new legal powers to the full to bring outliers like Aldi and other wealthy customers in the supply chain into line.
‘Aldi has taken truck drivers to court twice to stop them speaking out about safety – and lost. It’s time for Aldi to get on the right side of reforming this industry and work to alleviate the crisis in transport rather than profit from it.’
ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said workers had the right to safety, minimum standards and respect in the workplace. Photo: NewsWire Handout
ACTU secretary Sally McManus said workers have the right to safety, minimum standards and respect.
“At this point in history, the TWU has been responsible for bringing about groundbreaking legislation for all workers across Australia, particularly transport workers,” Ms McManus said.
“They are not sitting back, they are putting their foot on the gas pedal to move this industry forward.”
“We will not tolerate Aldi not working together with the rest of the sector in the interests of workers,” she said.
NSW union secretary Mark Morey said the sign of a bad company was continued injuries to workers in their workplace. Photo: NewsWire handout
An Aldi spokesperson said Aldi recognises the company’s role as a key player in the transport sector and that the company has taken proactive measures to ensure its commitment to driver safety is consistently maintained.
“Aldi has a Heavy Vehicle Safety and Corporate Social Responsibility Charter that applies to our supply chain and which meets the requirements of SafeWork and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator,” the spokesperson said.
‘We strive to ensure safe working practices and sustainability within our supply chain and work with all of our suppliers and carriers to achieve this.
‘Aldi has high safety standards and we take the safety of our employees, suppliers, carriers and customers seriously.
‘We have extensive processes and measures in place to ensure we meet our safety obligations. These include monitoring and auditing working practices within the transport chain and providing a range of robust reporting mechanisms so that any safety breaches can be investigated and addressed.
‘The safety of road transport is and remains a central part of our transport activities.’
