TWU able to bargain with Boral subsidiary for five years
March 4, 2011
Owner-drivers working for Q-crete Premix gained authorisation to collectively bargain with the company, Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) confirmed yesterday.
The Brisbane concrete supplier, a subsidiary of Boral Resources, has 10 owner-drivers delivering concrete.
Q-crete’s
16 employee-drivers are not part of the proposed collective bargaining group.
“The collective bargaining arrangements are likely to result in transaction cost savings and provide the opportunity for increased owner-driver input into contracts,” ACCC chairman Graeme Samuel says.
The ACCC decided that the arrangements
are unlikely to restrict competition as they are limited in scope to 10 owner drivers and are voluntary for both the drivers and Q-Crete.
The ACCC granted the Queensland Transport Workers Union interim authorisation to begin collective bargaining talks with Q-crete in November on behalf of seven owner-drivers.
In January, in a draft determination, it was decided that union will be able to bargain on behalf of the owner-drivers for five years. The union
then had also applied for the decision to extend to others who wish to join the bargaining group.