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Apr 9, 2016

MANDATORY MINIMUM CHARGES * Australia: CONTROVERSIAL, FOR OWNER DRIVERS

* ACT - Trucking industry divided after controversial RSRO changes stopped at the last minute


-- A last minute stoppage of controversial changes for owner-drivers in the trucking industry has deepened the divide between the sector, the union and politicians... The Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal was set to introduce mandatory minimum charges for transport contracts aimed at improving safety and therefore preventing heavy vehicle fatalities... The changes have been opposed by some trucking associations who have said thousands of people would be forced out of business if the changes came into being... Due to take effect on the April 4 2016, the changes would bring owner-drivers in line with the union award requirements and could see fines of $54,000 if drivers failed to comply... The employment minister, Michaelia Cash, denied there was a link between pay and safety, saying the owner-drivers feared the minimum rates they would have to charge for their services would put their jobs at risk... The Federal Government today announced it would be introducing legislation when parliament returns, to gain clarity on the issue... In a statement the Minister for Employment Senator Michaelia Cash said this legislation, if passed by the Senate, will provide certainty for the trucking industry, while reform options for the Road Safety Remuneration system were considered by the Government... 
(Photograph: David Crosling/AAP - The employment minister denies there is a link between payment of minimum rates for truck owner-drivers and road safety)  --  Canberra, ACT, Australia - ABC Rural, by Arlie Felton-Taylor - 4 April 2016 


** Queensland - Opponents of the changes say they could affect up to 70,000 owner operators

-- Small business groups say the rules will make competing with big business even more difficult... This is because owner-operator truck drivers will not be able to set their own minimum price for services... Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman, Kate Carnell, told SmartCompany the regulations threaten the livelihoods of up to 70,000 small business owners... Carnell says this consultation process needs to happen as quickly as possible so the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal and the Federal Court can see the impact these new rules will have on small business owners... “The thing that’s missing from the debate at the moment is these family businesses,” she says, “It’s their houses they’re going to lose. This needs to be ramped up pretty quickly because, fairly obviously, it will be a real disaster if this ruling [by the tribunal] goes ahead in its current form” ... 
-- Big Rig Magazine, asked readers, what they thought and the results showed that the majority did agree that the rates need to improve but that the Order needs to apply to the whole industry... Only 2% of respondents thought that rates don’t need to increase and 3% said they were happy with the order as it is... What we can see quite clearly with results like these is that the industry wants better rates across the board, and it’s now a matter of waiting to find out whether legal interpretations of the Order such as barrister Jardine’s are adopted...　
(Photo by Carly Morrissey - Raymond Cooper driving for Grayson's Haulage at the Anti-RSRT convoy, BP Archerfield April 3)  --  Brisbane, QNLD, Australia - Smart Company, by BROEDE CARMODY - April 4 2016 - 


*** ATA to lead Canberra RSRO protest convoy 

 -- The Australian Trucking Association will lead the way in a Convoy to Canberra on Monday 18 April to protest the introduction of the Contractor Driver Minimum Payments Road Safety Remuneration Order 2016 (RSRO)... The RSRO came into effect yesterday afternoon, after the Federal Court decided not to continue a stay on the order... ATA Chief Executive, Christopher Melham, said the Order would have a devastating impact on tens of thousands of owner-drivers and other small operators... “The ATA is proud to organise this Convoy to Canberra. It’s essential that Ministers and Senators understand just how many small operators will be threatened by this payments order” ... Further information about the convoy will be announced early next week... Canberra, ACT, Australia - ATA Friday Facts - 8 April 2016

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