Australian Truckers Threaten Nation-wide Blockade over Fuel Costs

04.07.2008 (10:07)

Unionised truckers are considering an Australia-wide blockade if diesel reaches A$2 (US$1.91) a litre, and have already staged roadway protests, reported the Australian Associated Press.

The Victorian Transport Association, representing trucking companies and owner-drivers, said it would not support blockades. "There are more practical solutions to the current cost crisis," it said in a statement.

The Australian Institute of Petroleum said the price of diesel fuel has risen to average of $1.85 a litre, said the AAP.

The Transport Workers' Union of Australia (TWU) has demanded that the federal government draft laws to protect truckers with a "national cost-recovery system."

Truckers have organised a go-slow on the highway from the central coast to Sydney. The 100 trucks involved caused little disruption to the morning's commuters, travelling between 60-80 kilometres an hour in the slow lane, said the Roads and Traffic Authority.

TWU boss Tony Sheldon said protests would continue unless the government came to their aid while promising that industrial action would not be akin to the "aggressive" tactics deployed by European truck drivers.

But he protested Coles and Woolworths supermarkets increased profits without compensating drivers or trucking companies.

"They're putting up prices of every retail product saying it's because of fuel whilst drivers and trucking companies aren't getting reimbursed," Mr Sheldon said.

Coles and Woolworths denied this, saying their contracts included increases to independent trucking companies to account for spikes in fuel prices.
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