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Issue No. 313 | 30 June 2006 |
Spin Cycle
Interview: Rock Solid Industrial: Eight Simple Rules for Employing My Teenage Daughter Politics: The Johnnie Code Energy: Fission Fantasies History: All The Way With Clarrie O'Shea International: Closer to Home Economics: Taking the Fizz Unions: Stronger Together Review: Montezuma's Revenge Poetry: Fair Go Gone
Graphic Glimpse Behind the Veil Hardie Busted Over Burn Victim
The Soapbox The Locker Room Parliament Education
Dare To Dream Better Get A Lawyer The Last Laugh
Labor Council of NSW |
News Sydney Backs Booze Deliverers
Late night talks on Monday finally produced a new agreement between Tooheys, Linfox and TWU. Drivers endorsed the contract the following day. The dispute began when Tooheys announced Linfox would take over transport from Toll Holdings on July 31. Under the new contract, drivers stood to wear pay cuts of up to 42 per cent, according to TWU. The original Linfox proposal also ignored the goodwill drivers had invested in their trucks, collectively worth many millions of dollars. With family honmes under threat, 57 owner drivers embarked on a campaign to obtain a fair contract. At the height of the dispute Tooheys' Lidcombe brewery was blockaded by drivers; while up at Macquarie Street, thirsty political types could not get a drop of Tooheys for love or money. TWU's Wayne Forno described the new contract as a positive outcome. "It means the drivers can afford to continue running their trucks and supporting their families," he said. The TWU would not comment on media reports that the deal included a $16 million collective payout for the goodwill, only saying drivers felt they could work in a financially viable way. TWU member Bob Hayden, a Tooheys delivery driver for 18 years, thanked the Sydney community for its support. "We love our jobs and we are very happy to be able to keep driving our trucks and delivering beer to Sydney's pubs," he said. Drivers and their families were delighted by hundreds messages of support from the public and over 3000 signatures on an online petition. Hundreds more were collected from race goers at Randwick recently. The TWU wrote to Unions NSW to formally express thanks for the solidarity of other workers. "This shows that by sticking together, union members can still enjoy great results in spite of John Howard's industrial relations changes," Forno said. "TWU members and their families were able to secure fair rates of pay and conditions thanks to the support of the community, Unions NSW and other unions such as the PSA."
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