WA government’s road maintenance in-housing continues to deliver better pay and improved conditions for workers

The Australian Workers’ Union welcomes the creation of 100 new permanent jobs at Main Roads in the South West and Great Southern of Western Australia as part of the WA Labor Government’s in-housing of road maintenance program.

The in-housing project was announced by the State Government in 2022 and will see the creation of over 600 new permanent jobs —  with majority of these jobs being in regional WA.

Kalgoorlie-Esperance road workers

AWU WA Branch Secretary Brad Gandy says the state-wide transition of road maintenance functions back into government is already delivering a range of benefits to workers throughout Western Australia.

“As a result of this initiative, road maintenance crews will see  significant increases to their take-home pay, as well as improvements to job conditions and security as they transition from casual workers to full-time, permanent employees,” he says.

“Road maintenance workers put in long hours, in often challenging conditions, to ensure that our road network is safe and fit for purpose and that communities across Western Australia can stay connected.

“After nearly 30 years of outsourcing, which has seen hundreds of job losses, creeping casualisation and a decline in industry pay standards, it’s a massive win for workers, who will now enjoy the benefits of secure, well-paid union jobs.

Northam road workers

“At every step of the process, the AWU has worked hard to support road and bridge crews across the state as they’ve been brought in-house, including at Goldfields-Esperance, Northam, Neerabup, Geraldton, and Jurien Bay. Our advocacy has ensured that every one of our members will benefit from this transition and that no one will be left behind.”

Outsourcing of road maintenance in Western Australia throughout the 1990s saw the number of Main Roads employees decline from 2605 in 1985 to just 819 in 2001, with the impacts felt most severely in the regions.

As a result, Main Roads lost the ability to train regional people and employ local workers, and the State Government lost control of assets and in-house expertise.

As well as improving pay and conditions for workers, the Cook Government says the in-housing transition will provide a boost to regional economies and support the state’s road network by improving response times when issues arise, including during emergencies.

WA workers celebrate Main Roads in-housing

The AWU has worked directly with Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Rita Saffioti, her department and ministerial staff, and Main Roads WA since 2022 to deliver the transition and in-housing.

“The AWU applauds the WA Labor government, Deputy Premier Saffioti and Main Roads WA for their proactive, constructive and sustainable approach throughout this process,” Brad Gandy says.

“Their engagement with the union from the outset has ensured that the transition has been managed effectively and is delivering great results for workers, the road network and the local workers.”