Sad End To An Era

• General News
• 26th June 2012

For many years on of the best jobs you could score in the transport industry was driving for National Dairies, or Masters as they were once called.

That option will no longer exist when the company closes its in-house delivery operations.

Linfox have won cartage contract and will take on the work on July 31st.

The bad news is that the Nationals drivers have all been given notice and will be finishing up with the company.

The good news is that, over the years, the TWU has negotiated a very generous redundancy package. In fact I don't know of a better one.

A lot of the drivers have been with the firm for donkey's years and some will need to bring a wheel barrow to work to carry their cash to their car.

Of course, I'm only speaking metaphorically because their money will go into their bank accounts by Electronic Funds Transfer.

But you'll get my drift - some will get a shit load of dosh - and a couple are walking around with smiles wider than the Luna Park clown.

On the other hand there is a certain sadness about the change that is about to occur.

These days, very few of the larger firms in WA have in-house transport operations and that is a shame.

In the old days working for Masters was like being part of one big happy family where truckies, factory workers and managers were all mates.

The drivers say that over the years the culture has slowly changed and the divisions have crept in. And that is a shame.

So on July 31 the Nationals guys will go their separate ways - some to retirement, some on holidays and others to new jobs.

Those looking for work will not have problems - experience like theirs is hard to come by these years and most will be snapped up quickly.

And life goes on. Before I can say Choc Milk I'll be at the Nationals yards signing up the new Linfox drivers.

And that's pretty good too because they'll be employed under a TWU agreement - and you don't get much better than that if you drive trucks.