24-hr Aus truck strike threatens supply chains

Starting from midnight on Friday some 7,000 truck drivers from one of Australia's largest transport companies, Toll, are set to go on a 24-hour national strike which could mean disruptions to food and fuel supply chains across the country.

The drivers on strike are members of the Transport Workers Union (TWU), and in a vote on Thursday, 94 per cent of the members were in favour of taking industrial action, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement from TWU, National Secretary Michael Kaine said it is "disappointing" that the months of talks have come to this.

"Toll workers have been forced to take the last resort option to go on strike this week because their jobs are being smashed," he said.

The TWU demanded a 3 per cent pay rise and increased job security for workers, however Toll only offered a 2 per cent pay rise.

Talks broke down when Toll sought to cut overtime for permanent staff and instead employ contractors at lower wages as a cost cutting measure.


The TWU blamed the now threatened supply chains on Toll's failure to act.

"Toll's behaviour is reprehensible. The transport giant is responsible for two crises at the same time: a cruel attack on good, safe transport jobs, and mass disruption to food and fuel supplies," said Kaine.

Toll's global express division president Alan Beacham said the strike will only harm workers and businesses.

Concerns have been raised that the strike could also pose a risk to vaccine supplies amid the Covid-19 resurgence in Australia, to which the TWU responded that the strikes "never and will never disrupt medical supplies or vaccines".-IANS