MICK CONNOLLY Reports

We managed to chalk up some good wins for long distance drivers at Pacific Transport but still have a couple of axes to grind with the Forrestfield based firm.
The biggest winners from our involvement in negotiations are two-up drivers who mainly do North West runs.

At the outset the company was going to pay them at 50% of a single drivers rate.
We strongly argued that they should pay 85% of the solo rate and Pacific eventually agreed to do this. This makes Pacific's two- up rates quite attractive compared to what some other long distance runners are paying

For example a Pacific two-up driver on a Derby and return trip will earn $1464 - before tax.
This rate includes $276 in overnight allowances and a $28 payment for washing their truck.

A single driver will gross $1725 for the same trip.
Given that Pacific claim their two-up drivers average one and half trips per week their average weekly earnings would be almost $2,200 per week.
So we are reasonably happy with the two up rates and we also persuaded them to pay for uniforms and safety boots.
However, we have a real problem with their single rates - they are paying below the award rate which is 34 cents per kilometre.
We are also at loggerheads over their annual leave provisions which are inferior to legally binding award entitlements for long distance drivers.
In an effort to resolve our differences we have lodged complaints with Fair Work Australia.
Thanks to our delegate Gary Keetley who did a mighty job for his fellow truckies.