Much hangs on drivers’ claims

Press, 11 July 1979, Page 2

Much hangs on drivers’ claims

By

GLENN HASZARD,

industrial reporter

The dispute between . the; Drivers’ Federation arid! employers is simple in essence, over the amount that; the parties feel general; drivers should receive when their award is renewed.. It expired on July 4. The drivers have claimed 20 per cent, a,nd the employers have offered about 9 per cent, which the drivers have rejected. The negotiations are important because they will to a large extent determine the “going rate” for increases in wages in other awards. The drivers are expected by their felldw-unionists td push for a big increase, but the. industry employers are expected by the Employers’ Federation to resist big rises. Given this line-up, conflict is probably inevitable. Recent history would certainly point that way; industrial conflict has been more the rule than the exception in the annual round of wage negotiations for the general drivers’ award, which leads the way for other drivers’ awards as well as other industry awards. In this context, the merits or otherwise of the drivers’ claims pale a little in significance, but for those intent upon looking for the justice of the claims, the table below will give an indication of present wage rates paid to drivers. The figures were obtained from the Employers’ Federation, which surveyed 5700

Explanation: Award wages are as listed in the existing award and are the minimum rates payable. Basic rates are those which are the average weekly gross payments including allowances for the industry, safety and clothing; plus the 1978 general wage order. The ruling rate is the average weekly gross wage paid, excluding

jemployers in the transport; 'arid Contracting industries I earlier this year. There were! ; 700 replies, from which thel i figures. were calculated. The) wages analysis covers 4500} drivers, or about 25 per cent of drivers covered in the general drivers’ award. The figures are for what the employers describe as an average week. The week was actually in March-April this year. The table below gives; wages for 10 categories of j drivers, covering 2693 of the 4500 drivers in the survey. The biggest group of drivers, 18 per cent, was in the category 10 to 14 tonnes. The next biggest group was two to 10 tonnes, with 9.1 per cent; followed by the up-to-2-tonnes, with 4.8 per cent. The table does not include some of the lower paid workers such as drivers’ assistants, casuals, and youths. Machine drivers or operators are those who use tractors, bulldozers, graders, and other machines such as excavators and scarifiers. Machine operators specials are workers designated by their employers as having special skills and experience in handling machines in conditions likely to achieve optimum production to required standards. Those on the top rate are drivers of the largest trucks, the over-40-tonne category, who with overtime receive $241 a week gross. But there were only 70 of these in the survey, comprising 1.55 per cent.

| overtime and machine and trailer payments. , The figure in the right column refers to the average weekly gross wage including average overtime and other payments, but not including service payments. All figures except the award rates were derived from the survey by the Employers’ Federation.

General drivers’ gross weekly earnings

Category Tonnes Award Basic Ruling Ruling rate + o/t, etc. Up to 2 . 106.59 122.15 127 134 2-10 109.50 125.06 133 154 10-14 111.07 126.13 132 160 14-20 113.35 128.91 133 168 20-28 115.69 131.25 136 183 28-34 117.45 133.01 138 198 34-40 119.22 134.78 141 213 Over 40 120.99 136.55 141 241 Machines .. 116.74 132.30 136 194 Operator special . 122.46 138.02 144 208