Fuel shortages now unlikely
A STRIKE which could have seen some petrol stations in the North Island run dry is likely to be called off, after tanker drivers won their contract battle.
About 180 tanker drivers employed by Taranaki-based Pacific Fuel Haul had been due to go on strike for four days from October 10. But the company has made a new offer to avert the industrial action, agreeing to drivers’ demands.
Pacific Fuel Haul serves Caltex and Z Energy, but there were concerns the strike could have had a knock-on effect on other petrol retailers causing a general shortage of fuel.
First Union organiser Jared Abbott said he was confident the strike would get called off when members voted on the offer next week.
‘‘The company has now agreed to reinstate a previously agreed offer that they had reneged on,’’ he said.
Pacific Fuel chief executive Andy Stanley said that while the company was disappointed with the way negotiations had gone, it was moving on.
‘‘We have bigger fish to fry.’’
However, he strongly rejected the union’s claim that the argument was over penalty clauses for infractions like speeding.
‘‘That claim was taken off the table by the company two weeks ago.’’
The new contract would give drivers a 6 per cent pay increase over three years. Union members in the South Island would also become eligible for redundancy compensation, something that had previously only be available to North Island drivers.
The drivers were already among the highest paid in the industry, Stanley said.