Truck drivers protest outside Coles

NEWCASTLE — On July 21, 70 truck drivers protested outside the Coles store in the NSW Central Coast town of Wyoming after being left with no job security by Coles-Myer and the Linfox trucking company following the closure of the nearby Coles-Myer distribution centre at Somersby.

Since the closure, Linfox has asked for expressions of interest from its drivers in redundancy pay-outs. Transport Workers Union Newcastle secretary Mark Crosdale said on July 21 that the TWU "requested Linfox apply the same redundancy provisions to its employees as have been applied by Coles to its direct-hire employees at the site. Linfox has refused this request." Linfox employees are being offered a deal that is at least 25% less than the one offered to the 440 direct-hire Coles employees, he said.

Kerry Smith

From GLW issue 677