The Transport Workers Union launched co-ordinated protests at Coles outlets in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, saying that the big retailer’s business models are causing the deaths and injury of truck drivers.

It was the first of what was planned to be a series of protests, although it was not yet known if they would extend to Ballarat.

TWU Victorian/ Tasmanian branch assistant secretary John Berger said it was a nationwide issue that had to be dealt with immediately.

He said truck driving was Australia’s most dangerous industry, with a death rate many times the industrial average.

“Our drivers are put under such immense pressure that many times they are putting themselves and others at risk just by being out on the road,” Mr

Berger said.

“It is about time they actually took our driver safety as a concern instead of pushing them to the limit.”

According to data collated by Work Cover, one in three truck drivers is forced to work more than 72 hours per week and 330 people die each year because of truck crashes.

Mr Berger said the TWU would target Coles and Woolworths across Australia, except in Victoria, where Coles will be the main target of the protests.

Woolworths runs its own truck fleet in Victoria.