ACCC authorises collective bargaining with Hanson Construction Materials by Queensland concrete cartage owner-drivers

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has granted an authorisation allowing truck owner-drivers in Queensland providing concrete cartage services to collectively bargain with Hanson Construction Materials Pty Ltd.

The Transport Workers Union (Queensland Branch) sought authorisation on behalf of existing and future owner drivers working for Hanson Construction Materials for the drivers to engage in voluntary collective bargaining.

The collecting bargaining will occur over matters including:

• cartage rates
• a mechanism for those rates to increase
• penalties for carrying outside standard hours
• increased rates for specialist loads
• return on investment
• demurrage rates, and
• equipment including painting and badging of prime movers.

"The collective bargaining arrangements are likely to result in transaction cost savings and provide the opportunity for increased owner driver input into contracts, due to a single negotiation rather than a series of individual negotiations," ACCC Chairman Rod Sims said.

Authorisation provides statutory protection from court action for conduct that might otherwise raise concerns under the competition provisions of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010. Broadly, the ACCC may grant an authorisation when it is satisfied that the public benefit from the conduct outweighs any public detriment.