Food supplies to be halted by rogue truck drivers
Truck drivers are planning a nationwide two-week strike that could limit the supply of food and fuel.
Requesting better pay and conditions, the organisers, led by the Australian Long Distance Owners’ and Drivers’ Association, are asking truck drivers to strike for two weeks from July 28.
One of the transport company owners, Peter Schuback of Queensland’s Hervey Bay, said that the stoppage would highlight the impact the economy would be subjected to if the industry was to collapse. “On day three of the stoppage shops will run out of food, on day four service stations will run out of petrol, on day five we will run out of [drinkable] water … and on day 10 industry will shut down because there will be no power,” Mr Schuback told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Organisers of the strike have been spreading the message to the nations truck drivers via text messages.
The issue of low pay and increasing fuel costs has been on the truckies agenda in recent months, with the Transport Workers Union (TWU) lobbying the Federal Government to provide greater assistance to truck drivers. The TWU is not, however, supporting the proposed strike.
The leading industry body for the trucking industry, the Australian Trucking Association (ATA), has also distanced themselves from the proposed stoppage in the belief that it will provide no benefit to the industry.
The Chairman of the ATA, Trevor Martyn, said he understood the hardships that many in the industry were going through, but warned that shutdowns were not the answer.
“Many owner drivers and small trucking companies are in crisis because of the spiralling price of diesel, which has gone up 50 cents per litre since last October. Many people in the trucking industry are now watching their life’s work collapse around them,” Mr Martyn said. “But going on strike and standing around truck stops for two weeks isn’t the answer. The price of diesel is going up across the world because of China’s massive demand for fuel. Holding a two-week strike in Australia will have no effect on prices at all.”
While the organisers claim that 80 per cent will strike, the ATA disputes this and suggest that disruptions will not be significant.
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Things are only going to get worse for truckies as more and more freight is moved by rail. If they don’t like their conditions, maybe they should think about becoming train drivers.
Hay how about printing the truth about why the Transport shut down is really
all about Fuel? Money? to us, Drivers are sick and tied of being the only
industry that gets penilised for doing there Job.one mistake in your Log Book
is 3 points and now will be $1000.00 bill.we dont have to be scollers to be
good Transport Operators.
Become train drivers? Do you shop at train stations? Come on, how do you think all the stuff on store shelves gets there? I’m not a truck driver but I’m smart enough to know how food gets on my table. The rich are getting richer and the poor poorer. Wake up before it’s too late!
I am a truckies wife, My man is a Hardworking practical fellow with a truckload of
common sense. Although spelling is something he struggles with as does
the majority of the world. The difference is if your not a truck driver, You wont be
fined for your spelling mistakes in your workplace . The kind of fine that could mean the difference in wether you can make your house payments or not.
How come, University degree Doctors aren’t fined for their totally illegible
writing, which could result in mis medicating someone? How come the very
transport & police officers who issues these fines can make spelling errors in
their reports and not be fined? Why is the government trying to destroy the back
bone of this nation? If this industry is NOT important, why is everyone so worried
about it striking?
IN regard to the proposed transport shutdown.
we have to remember ,that we have two types of employment .
productive and unproductive.
farmers ,truckies and other small business and manufacturers are regarded
as productive .ie. contributing to the economy and operating their business at a profit. .Paying taxes and generally contributing to the community around them.
And they are getting shafted by the govt.
Unproductive enterprises are systems that bleed and leach on the community
and cost hard earned tax payer money to continue.
prime example . Rail network ,and most govt. departments that create bullshit
rules and regulations., to keep people employed in fairyland operating systems that are not going anywhere and really don,t contribute to the well being of the country. Just really systems out there to annoy people in their everyday life.
All in the name of road safety.
What a joke . The govt does not give two shits about us or our families .
I say stay home . stop work .and show them what small business can achieve,
i think all australians should get behind these guy as the saying without truckswe wouldnt move so give them a go and support them
Back the back bone of this country. Stop making it so hard for these hard working men & Woman to do the job, without them we dont have any stock arrive in the shops!
From a Truckies wife.
i used to be an owner driver so i think i can add a comment here, i believe the truck driver gets a raw deal, apart from spiraling fuel costs, cost of living, registration , and harrasment from the law makers with more clerical work with log books is just another nail in the coffin of the transport industry, the government keeps wacking taxes and charges on transport ………..i`m no economist but surley transport is the main cog of industry and manufacturing , with rising cost that will inevitably down the track be passed on to the public, no doubt a loaf of bread will end up costing $10,00 , drivers are in demand by companies but it is becomeing a job that was once sought after but these days who in their right mind would want to have a job with only stress and heart attack to look forward to .
my father was an interstater, back when he did the job it was difficult then and its only getting harder.
Unfortunatley drivers are their own worst enemy as far as getting pay and conditions or laws changed, there is very little unity in the industry, ……………………i`m glad i`m out of it
how does brad think the supplies are going to get from the train station to the shops….. maybe the shopkeepers can go and pick it up before they start work. The truckies need to let everyone know that they get out there day and mostly night to get supplies across Australia, they drive 12 hours a day and only get 12 demerit points ( i drive about 1 hour a day and i get 12 points) They are professional drivers they know what they are doing on the road. They have to put up with idiots on the road pulling out in front of them, most of them just want to get in there and do their job not get harassed because they make a spelling mistake ( log books don’t come with spell check) how would you feel if your boss told you, you would be fined $1000.00 if you filled out a form wrong. GIVE THE TRUCKIES A BREAK……. LEAVE THEM ALONE AND LET THEM DO THEIR JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
michelle
Thank you Michelle, I am a Truck driver and its good to see comments such as yours.