Autocare drivers walk off job over $1.65/km wage offer

More than 100 Autocare drivers have parked up and walked off the job in Victoria and Melbourne to attend urgent stop work meetings after attempts to slash their pay to $1.65 per kilometre.

Autocare drivers in Port of Brisbane and in Melbourne have stopped work on Tuesday, 26 April, after trying to negotiate new rates with the company for nine months, prompting the Transport Workers’ Union to urge major car brands to stop using the car carrying service until proper pay is secured.

TWU said that despite the current rate of $1.70 per kilometre, Autocare has proposed to reduce rates further to $1.65.

The union argued that even the current rate does not meet the costs of the drivers’ work, and has even forced owner drivers who transport new and imported cars across the country to squeeze margins.

To recover costs and pay wages, drivers are asking for $1.94/km.

TWU explained that compounding margin stress are surging fuel costs, with the current levy not meeting the increased cost of fuel.

“Drivers are seeking a fixed rate in line with the interstate drivers of the company who currently receive $1.20/L,” the union said.

Mike McNess, branch secretary, TWU Victoria/Tasmania branch, and Jared Abbott, director of organising for the TWU Queensland branch, criticised Autocare’s “paltry offer”.

“TWU is calling on Toyota, Mitsubishi, Havel and Great Wall to stop using Autocare until it properly pays drivers in this vital link of the supply chain,” McNess and Abbott said.

“A supply chain can’t sustainably work if drivers make more money parking up than they do delivering the goods,” they said.

“Trucking is Australia’s deadliest industry, with on average 180 deaths a year, because wealthy clients at the top of supply chains are financially squeezing transport contracts.”

Related: Transport workers call to be involved in supply chain talks

The pair said that the offer can actually bring harm to drivers.

“As margins continue to shrink, or disappear altogether, drivers are pushed to new, dangerous extremes,” they said.

“Autocare is making an already dangerous industry deadly with its offer, which will make it impossible for drivers to earn a proper living.”

As a result, they are calling the federal government for a proper body that delivers fair, sustainable rates to drivers.

TWU explained the federal government continues to ignore the findings of a Senate Inquiry last year, which recommended the Federal Government establish an independent tribunal with the power to ensure all owner drivers and transport operators are able to cover their costs.

“The Turnbull government abolished the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal which had the power to ensure cost recovery for owner drivers and small transport operators, and replaced it with nothing,” they said.

Since it was scrapped, the pair said over 1,043 people have died in truck-related accidents across the country.

“We need to legislate Safe Rates across Australia so that all transport workers, whether they’re owner drivers or working in the gig economy, can get a proper rate of pay that secures them a living, not enough to just scrape by.”

Source: TWU