Z Energy off the hook – tanker strike action now unlikely
Z Energy contractor Pacific Fuel Haul agrees to reinstate a previously agreed offer to avoid strike.
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Hawke’s Bay
A four-day strike is now unlikely at Pacific Fuel Haul as the company agrees to its workers’ demands.
Earlier this week almost 200 truckers from the tanker company, a contractor to Z Energy [NZX: ZEL], gave notice of a strike beginning October 10.
Workers say they were frustrated with Pacific Fuel Haul over the fairness of a proposed deduction clause.
The clause would have allowed a 1% deduction from wages should the company perceive an employee breaches its policies or procedures.
The threatened strike would have also impacted both Caltex and Z Energy, which between them own roughly half of New Zealand petrol stations.
FIRST Union organiser Jared Abbott says Pacific has now agreed to reinstate an agreed offer it had earlier reneged on. He told NBR ONLINE yesterday the union did come to an agreement with the company but then changed its mind.
Mr Abbott now says a new offer dictates tanker drivers delivering fuel to Z Energy and Caltex petrol stations will earn wage increases of up to 18% over 3 years with back pay from August 1.
“Union members in the South Island will also become eligible for redundancy compensation, something that used to only be available for North Island drivers,” he says.
“Members will vote on the offer next week. I am confident industrial action will be averted,” says Abbott.
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Jason Walls
Wed, 30 Sep 2015
Wed, 30 Sep 2015
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Z Energy off the hook – tanker strike action now unlikely
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