Aussie supermarket giant Coles has been accused of pushing its drivers too hard, and this has led to a series of protests, with the latest being at the TWU national council in Sydney on Wednesday.
At the protest, the national secretary of the Transport Workers’ Union (TWU), Tony Sheldon, released the findings of a national survey of 715 drivers.
It found 55% of drivers surveyed in the Cole’s supply chain admitted to feeling pressure to drive too fast, while the trucking industry average is only 26%.
“Coles is amongst the worst offenders when it comes to pressuring truckies in their supply chain,” Sheldon says.
“(It’s) a damning indictment of the squeeze Coles places on truck drivers and their entire supply chain, leading to tragic consequences.
“Coles has led the way in market pressures – someone pays a price, and it’s the community with all these deaths.”
Government statistics showed truck-related fatalities cost A$2.8 million every year, he says.
The report also found that 82% of drivers surveyed in the Coles supply chain had considered leaving as a result of client pressures.
TWU NSW secretary Wayne Forno, says that on average, Coles driver spent almost 400 hours each year in unpaid waiting times.
“Even at minimum transport award wages, this means these drivers are robbed of $7393 each year,” he says.
Sheldon says the union will continue its campaign until Coles “stops pushing safety down the supply chain and takes some real responsibility for the safe transportation of their goods”.
Coles insists it takes safety very seriously and denies it is forcing drivers into unsafe or illegal practices.
The situation is not helped by Coles CEO Ian McLeod being named Australia’s top paid executive, at A15.63 million this year and the announcement that Coles is set to greatly expand the size of its supermarkets as it fights against Woolworths.
That includes opening 19 new stores, closing 11 stores and extending 10 stores in the 2011/12 financial year.
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