Cleanaway Drivers Resolve To Fight For More Money

• General News
• 26th June 2012

When Rick Burton and I rolled up for a meeting with our Transpacific Cleanaway members at the firm's Malaga yard we were heartened by the resolve of the troops.

And troops is probably the right word because the mood was quite militant.

The drivers had been talking to their counterparts in the refuse game and had come to the conclusion they were trailing behind in the pay stakes.

So after some robust debate they decided three big pay rises were needed to lift them up to where the competition is.

Nothing wrong with that, except the company was only offering them 3.6%+3.6%+3.6%.

They argue that they pay all of their drivers at the Grade 6 rate regardless of what size trucks they drive, whereas competitors don't.

Needless to say the drivers told Transpacific where they could shove their offer - and without Vaseline.

It was starting to look like we were heading for the garbage strikes of days gone by.

The boys made their position perfectly clear, "We are due and we are ready".

Transpacific had cried poor during the last round but this time the word was out that the giant refuse firm was travelling.

Fortunately, the company's managers must have sniffed the wind blowing in from the tip and they didn't like the smell going up their nostrils.

I think realism has dawned on them and we'll be getting a better offer the next time we get together.

As we went to press the drivers were having a bit of a think about things.

Apart from the pay rises we still hadn't resolved our differences over meal allowances.

Hopefully further negotiations will deliver a satisfactory outcome.

Thanks to our delegates, Tenacious Tony Hill at Malage, Ron Stobbie from Maddington, Eddie Kuznicki our Mandurah man and the irrepressible Graham 'Mad Dog' Madison from the Bayswater recycling centre.

With lieutenants like them we can't lose.