Tasmania’s Transport Workers Union (TWU) is pressing for a revised Forestry Fair Contracts Code to combat a 30% rise in fuel costs and insufficient increases in cartage rates from timber company Gunns.
The TWU, which is lobbying the Tasmanian government, said that as the code stands there is no way of resolving disputes through mediation using a body like the state industrial commission.
Individual truck owner-drivers claim they are faced with a “take it or leave it” cartage offer from Gunns or their contractors, which they say is unacceptable.
The TWU said the government needed to become involved and change the code to make sure Gunns negotiated with the union on behalf of the drivers.
