One step from strike
Page 10
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by Lee Kimber • Drivers drew back from strike action at Redland Readyrnix depots this week but they plan to start a non-co-operation campaign on 21 June.
The decision of the National Owner Drivers Association (NODA) last Sunday comes after 76% of the company's 200 ownerdrivers voted to take industrial action in a ballot two weeks ago (CM 1-7 June). The battle is being fought over Redland's attempt to derecognise NODA.
The association's sixpoint industrial action plan includes a reduction of waiting time to 30 minutes, after which they will tip their loads where customers say or take it back to Redland. And in a move which NODA general-secretary Mick Binns says will cost Redland dearly, they will also limit transfer work—where drivers work temporarily from depots other than the one they are assigned to—to neighbouring depots only.
Over the weekend drivers received letters from Redland offering twice yearly meetings as an alternative to NODA. The company has drawn up a new hauliers' contract that gives it the right to vary haulier's rates and contains no reference to NODA.
Redland declines to comment but Binns threatens that the action, which barely affects drivers' earnings, could go on indefinitely.