Drivers seek pay for skill

Press, 9 May 1978, Page 6

Drivers seek pay for skill

Talks between the Drivers' Federation and employers, due to resume today after the drivers' one-day strike, v II cover mainly problems involved in restructuring the general drivers' award, according to sources in the The restructuring is seen as Ttecral to the wages i.-sue (the drivers claim a 15.3 per cent increase). At present, drivers are.

paid according to the weight of their vehicle. It was pro-' posed that they be paid according to skills acquired through training as well as road experience. At today's meeting, the Drivers' Federation wil] table a report that examines, the pros and cons for re-1 structuring. The sources were not optimistic that the basic! issues would be resolved overnight but saw a chance that conciliation talks on the; award could be convened.

later this month if the talks > bore fruit. If not much progress is I made on restructuring the! award, anything resolved ini conciliation could be only an interim measure. It progress! is satisfactory the award !could be a longer-term one. One problem that has bog-; ged down negotiators is that | the three employer groups are not unanimous in their; approach: the Road Trans-; port Association is most in j i favour of the restructuring!

i approach and the Coni tractors’ Federation is wiilI ing to listen but the ancili lary employers are only luke I warm. The ancillary employers I include companies such aS the breweries, which employ drivers of mainly smaller ; trucks and vans. Under the (Present system they get off ; fairly lightly because their vehicles are smaller and jthere is not so much need i for training.