E-Malt.com News article: Australia: Tooheys brewery delivery drivers cease Lidcombe factory blockade

Delivery truck drivers for beer company Tooheys who have blockaded the gates of the Lidcombe factory have been ordered back to work, The Daily Telegraph posted June 20. The 57 owner-drivers started their blockade early today in a dispute over pay.

The dispute arose when Tooheys replaced Toll Holdings with Linfox as the new delivery contractor.

All 57 owner-drivers who deliver for the brewery began the blockade at the Lidcombe factory at 5am (AEST). The contract drivers had originally been told by Tooheys they would no longer be needed from July 31.

However, the Transport Workers Union (TWU) says Linfox, which recently took over the drivers' contracts from Toll Holdings, has now offered the owner-drivers their contracts back under a new agreement containing pay and rate cuts of up to 42 per cent.

Drivers would also be forced to spend $50,000 installing new equipment on their trucks, the TWU claims. Alan Smith, who has delivered Tooheys beer for more than 13 years, says the drivers deserve a proper explanation from Tooheys and will stay outside the brewery for as long as necessary.

"We want them to come down and hear our grievances straight from us so it does not go through the chain that it usually does," Mr Smith said.

"We want them to know exactly what situation their putting some of these drivers in as far as losing houses, income, family break-ups and all those sorts of things."

Mr Smith said even if the drivers signed on to the lower-paid contracts, they wouldn't be able to fulfil Linfox's requirements by purchasing the new equipment.

"The rates are generally cut between 30 and 42 per cent, so even if these people wanted to work for the reduction they couldn't afford to put the specific equipment on the truck," he said.

"Even if they were in a position to borrow the money, they wouldn't be able to repay it because the cuts are so much."

A Tooheys spokesman said the blockade was not expected to disrupt beer supplies. He said the brewer believed Linfox was offering the drivers competitive terms in line with industry rates. Almost half of the drivers that had previously been contracted to Toll have signed on with Linfox, he said.

"No agreements have yet been made with about 30 of those drivers," the spokesman said. "While it does involve a reduction in rates for (drivers), the average reduction rate is significantly less than that being touted by some of their representatives."


20 June, 2006