As I speak, hundreds of workers from DHL, who are members of the United Workers Union, are taking industrial action to fight for a better deal. Yesterday, along with a number of my Labor colleagues and Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey, I joined workers from DHL at Bowman Hall in Blacktown for a stop‑work meeting. A similar meeting was held by fellow DHL workers in Victoria. The workers numbered in their hundreds, and they will not accept subpar wages and conditions that fail to keep pace with the rising cost of living. DHL workers effectively have seen their pay go backwards during a cost‑of‑living crisis. Under the previous COVID-era agreement, they received pay increases of 3 per cent per annum. This was despite annual consumer price index increases of up to 7.8 per cent.
In effect, this has left DHL workers with average real wage cuts of up to 8 per cent over the past three years. They are seeking wages that reflect the real cost of living. They are asking for recognition for the essential and skilled work they do, and they are asking for a fair go. The work that kept this country running through the COVID-19 pandemic was of critical importance to DHL. DHL Workers from Leppington, Liverpool, Fairfield, Campbelltown, Blacktown, Plumpton, Mount Druitt and St Clair kept our supply chains moving, ensuring that goods arrived at hospitals, stores and warehouses during the toughest days of lockdown. They did not have the luxury of working from home. They showed up, day in and day out, because they knew their jobs were essential.
DHL, which is a multinational corporation with revenues exceeding $140 billion in 2023 alone, is offering wage increases that fall far short of what is needed to even cover the most basic costs of living. At the same time, DHL is proposing to reduce pay for new employees, which will create a two‑tiered wage system where new employees are paid less for doing the same work. These new workers would be unable to progress to higher levels of pay and will be permanently stuck on wages that are lower than those of people working next to them. This is an affront to a fundamental principle in this country: same pay for the same work. Fairness must be extended to every worker, regardless of when they commence employment and their level of skill.
Despite competitors such as Team Global Express, Linfox and DB Schenker all providing their employees with higher rates of pay for licensed and highly skilled forklift work, DHL workers are denied that important remuneration. That skilled work must be recognised and fairly paid. Those workers are standing up for themselves and fighting for their families and for the future of our region. They know, as we all should, that a fair wage and secure work is fundamental. What is happening in DHL is not an isolated incident; it is a reflection of broader issues facing workers across Australia. Companies are enjoying unprecedented profits while ordinary workers struggle to make ends meet. There is always a bottomless bucket of money for the CEOs, senior executives and shareholders but, when it comes to the workers, there are endless excuses.
When workers are paid fairly, they support their families and they also reinvest in their local economies. They spend their money at local shops, businesses and cafes, supporting other jobs and driving local economic growth. Good jobs make good communities, and that is something that every employer needs to understand, especially when it comes to Western Sydney—a region on the cusp of tremendous growth and transformation. The Western Sydney airport and aerotropolis represents massive opportunities for our region. But those opportunities cannot come at the expense of workers' pay and conditions.
I recall former Premier Gladys Berejiklian's trip to Incheon in South Korea in 2017 to see a world‑leading aerotropolis in action. What was her major takeaway for the key ingredient to a successful airport? Was it crucial transport links, better pay and conditions for workers and ensuring that the world's leading airlines are flying from the airport? No. It was creating a free economic zone, which is code for low wages and poor working conditions. Perhaps those companies did not get the memo: The Liberals are no longer in charge and their business lobbyist mates no longer get to write policy on behalf of Ministers asleep at the wheel. The DHL workers are setting a precedent and sending a message to every employer looking to set up shop in Western Sydney: If they want to do business there, they must do so by their rules. They must treat workers with respect, ensure good conditions and pay them a fair wage. I stand in solidarity with the members of the United Workers Union at DHL and I urge every member to support them and recognise the importance of their stand.
