Drivers vote on strike
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by Lee Kimber • Nearly 200 National Owner-Drivers Association members carrying concrete for Redland Readymix are to vote on industrial action because the company wants to change their contract terms.
Drivers are furious with Redland's proposed new Owner-Driver Haulage Contract, which reduces their unsocial hours rights by one hour per day and allows Redland to set haulage rates without negotiating with NODA. Redland says it will cease to recognise its 17-year recognition agreement with NODA on 24 May, reducing it to a consultative role.
Redland is holding a meeting to explain its plans to drivers this Thursday but a vote on industrial action is likely to go ahead next week.
"Drivers are disgusted," says NODA general secre tary Mick Binns. "They're horrified by it."
Redland driver Chris Abbott says contracts have been withheld from at least 12 new drivers who started working over the last two months until Redland's lawyers have approved the new contract terms. Other drivers complained to NODA that the reduced unsocial hours term targets those runs that generate 90% of their unsocial hours pay. Binns says the move follows Redland's restructuring after it took over Steetley three years ago. It now has three regional managers who are expected to set their own haulage rates. "They want to destroy the annual rate negotiations," says Binns.
Redland was unable to comment this week but is understood to believe that the NODA-agreed rates were about 20% higher than local haulage rates.