More fuel tank drivers on strike over overtime allowances

More fuel tank drivers on strike over overtime allowances

While around 180 Pacific Fuel Haul tanker truck drivers have settled their collective, tanker truck drivers at SouthFuels who deliver fuel and lubricants to the primary industries in that region are now on strike over what are standard clauses in their industry.

Members have been on strike since Sunday (1am, 16th December) over what are simple overtime allowances that don’t make much difference to the employer but would make a world of difference to the drivers.

The company claims their workers are the best paid (including allowances) in the industry but workers at several large companies with collective agreements all get time and a ¼ when they work over a full time work week (40 hours). These companies make up almost all fuel delivery drivers in New Zealand.

This ensures the long-hours drivers work away from their personal lives is compensated for. Drivers at Southfuels, in a compromise, requested time and a ¼ when they clock over 50 hours but it has been refused by the company.

According to the OECD’s Better Life Index for 2017 the average New Zealander working full time is afforded around 15 hours a day for personal care and leisure. That’s for eating, sleeping, socialising and hobbies. Truck drivers, like bus drivers, are being short-changed around five hours a day.

One drivers comments; “You’re doing between 65-70 hours a week with one day off and then you’re straight back into it again. It’s not enough time to spend with family, or doing whatever the heck you want, but customers need to be serviced, we have a job to do.”

“While long hours steal time away from family, we do know our limits and a lot of drivers can’t afford to do less than 70 hours. If any life expenses come up, anyone gets sick, you need those high hours.”

“We have to be highly skilled drivers, skilled enough to stay away from other drivers’ bad decisions, especially because of what we’re carrying.”

FIRST Union Transport Organiser Justin Wallace says recognition of overtime (anything over a full time work week of 40 hours) is standard for collective agreements in the industry.

“Recognition of long hours is compensation for drivers having hours taken away from their personal lives, they should be paid overtime allowances for anything over 40 hours but as a compromise, have increased that to 50. All they are asking for is less than standard compared to the rest of our collective contracts. Further, these drivers do not receive danger or risk money despite transporting explosive goods, they need to be compensated for the risks they take and the skills they have.”

Mr Wallace says, “We should be asking for more, long hours and lower pay has been normalised in the industry, but we are trying to make a compromise.”

ENDS

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