‘Mass disruption’: Truckies’ 24-hour strike to cause supply chain snags as crisis talks collapse

Queensland servos, supermarkets and online shoppers could be waiting longer for their deliveries this week as thousands of truck drivers vote to walk off the job.

TWU members from Toll are expected to strike on Friday. Photo: File/contributed

Queensland service stations, supermarkets and online shoppers could be waiting longer for their deliveries on Friday when thousands of truck drivers will refuse to take to the wheel due to job security concerns.

The Transport Workers Union on Monday confirmed the nationwide strike, citing transport giant Toll’s refusal to back down on proposals to cut overtime and use more cheap contractors.

Around 1,300 Queensland truckies and 7,000 transport workers nationally will walk off the job for 24 hours in a move the union has admitted could cause chaos for Queensland's supply chain.

“If (Toll) had taken a reasonable approach, Queenslanders wouldn’t be facing huge disruptions to food and fuel supplies this weekend,” TWU Queensland Secretary and lead Toll negotiator Richard Olsen said.

“We hope that Toll will see sense and prevent any future action, because Toll workers with everything to lose have no choice but to use the only tool they have left to fight for their jobs – to withdraw their labour.”

The union in a statement said Toll aimed to drive down labour costs by scrapping overtime entitlements and engaging outside drivers on minimal pay, in a bid to compete with business models like AmazonFlex.

TWU National Secretary Michael Kaine said the strike was a last resort.

“To do nothing would be to wait like sitting ducks for the jobs they’ve skilfully done for decades to be given away to the lowest common denominator,” he said.

“If workers had accepted this today, their jobs could have been contracted out moments after signing on the dotted line.

“ … They don’t want to go on strike, especially during a pandemic, but they must because they have everything to lose,” he said.

Toll works with retailers Woolworths and Coles transporting goods between distribution centres and supermarkets but its anticipated the strike won’t impact home deliveries.

“We have comprehensive response plans in place across our network to ensure our stores remain well-stocked,” a Coles spokeswoman said.

Toll works with Woolworths only in Queensland’s far north.

A Woolworths spokesman said the company was monitoring the situation closely.

Toll Global Express president Alan Beacham said the union was “playing politics” in the middle of a global pandemic.

“We can assure customers their goods will be transported during any potential industrial action,” Mr Beacham said.

Toll in a statement warned that employees wouldn’t be paid for a strike.

“Under the Fair Work Act it is illegal for Toll to pay employees for any industrial action they may take,” the statement said.

“Unlike TWU officials, whose wages don’t get docked, employees will lose money if they take industrial action.”

Toll in its statement said it had put a “generous offer on the table” during crisis talks and was committed to further discussion.

“Industrial action only benefits the TWU, who like to show off in front of their union mates,” Mr Beacham said.

“It hurts employees and hurts our business.

“Let’s stop wasting time, get back to the negotiating table and sign this deal.”

On Thursday, workers voted 94 per cent in favour of taking action to fight for their jobs.

The successful ballot gave around 7000 transport workers protection under the Fair Work Act to walk off the job.

A further 6,000 transport workers are due to vote on strike action at StarTrack and FedEx in the coming weeks.

More than $10,000 had been raised on Monday through a GoFundMe which claimed it would help cover financial support for Australian truck drivers.

The GoFundMe is linked to a social media movement calling for truck drivers to block all highway entries into Australian states on August 31 in a protest against Covid-19 lockdowns.