WA: Truckies fuel protest halts rail freight

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2000
WA: Truckies fuel protest halts rail freight

PERTH, Aug 28 AAP - About 100 truck drivers protesting against the price of fuel blockaded
Perth's main rail freight depot this morning, disrupting deliveries for three hours.

Transport Workers Union (TWU) organiser Paul Aslan said fuel prices had risen up to
30c a litre over the past year in some places and it was costing truckies their livelihoods.

"You've got a huge hike in fuel prices, combined with the (federal) government insisting
that haulage rates are kept down because of the diesel fuel rebate," Mr Aslan said.

"But only a section of the industry get that grant anyway and it doesn't go far enough.

The whole situation is forcing owner-operators out of their homes and trucks."

Truckies were being forced to work longer hours, which had significant safety implications.

"In WA, we've had 102 truck-related deaths in the past three years as a result of people
working longer hours to try to stay afloat, and things are getting worse," Mr Aslan said.

He said today's blockade - in which truckies parked their vehicles outside the freight
depot, blocking access - was the start of an intensive industrial campaign that he expected
would spread to other states.

Mr Aslan said other freight sites around Perth would be targeted in coming weeks, including
the Fremantle wharves, and a general meeting of owner-operator truck drivers would be
held on September 7.

The Motor Trade Association of WA has called a mass public protest rally against rising
fuel prices for the same date and is expecting up to 30,000 people to attend.

AAP alm/sd/cd

KEYWORD: PETROL WA

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