Kelsian Group has called for an essential worker change despite the group’s WA arm recording little impact from the labour shortages
Public transport operator Kelsian Group’s chief executive says public transport workers should be viewed as essential before skilled worker shortages in the bus and coach industry causes more pain.
Kelsian Group’s Client Feuerherdt told the West Australian that transport workers should be considered as essential as healthcare workers.
“The bus network also continued to operate at full capacity through COVID-19,” Feuerherdt says.
“If our essential workers don’t work, we can’t get those typically classified essential workers to their work. So most definitely that definition needs to be brought into public transport workers.”
Kelsian Group has had to rely on immigration to maintain its workforce like many others in the local industry.
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After reporting the group’s financial results, Feuerherdt says skilled workers shortages will continue to haunt the industry.
Yet Western Australia was the only exception when it came to labour shortages across the country, as many WA operators reported having the lowest impact when it came to a lack of skilled workers.
Kelsian has 1800 people working in WA and 8700 in total as it continues growing off the back of its WA success.
“A lot of growth for us will continue to come from WA,” Feuerherdt says.
“There’s a lot of opportunity there, particularly as we build on the Go West Portfolio. We’re very optimistic about our WA business.”