TWU’s Queensland owner-drivers handling air-freight eye collective bargaining
Despite Toll seeking to halt interim authorisation for a Queensland Transport Workers’ Union (TWU) collective bargaining push, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued a draft determination in favour of it.
The application relates to 76 TWU-member courier owner-drivers engaged by Toll in Queensland who provide freight services from the Toll Priority Brisbane depot near Brisbane Airport and the ACCC is seeking comment on its proposed move.
The ACCC has previously authorised the TWU to collectively bargain on behalf of owner-drivers with other businesses that transport freight services. Like those previous matters, participation in the current collective bargaining arrangement is voluntary for Toll and any of the owner drivers, it says.
In its submission before the draft decision, Toll’s lawyers say the union has not provided reasons for the move that Toll sees as potentially anticompetitive. They point out that the company and the union already have arrangements in place.
The ACCC proposes to grant authorisation for three years and also grant interim authorisation to the TWU and its members to start collective bargaining while the application is being assessed but not enter into contracts.
“Collective bargaining will allow owner drivers to share transaction costs and will improve their input into contractual arrangements,” ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Schaper said.
The final determination is due before October.