Armoured car drivers threaten strike action

By Andrew Watson
BRISBANE — A stop-work meeting and rally of armoured car workers here on August 23 resolved to strike indefinitely from August 28, unless the state government responds to their demands for an inquiry into the armoured car and transit industry. Following the killing of two armoured car drivers, one in Sunny Bank and the other in Sydney, armoured car workers in Queensland, members of the Transport Workers Union, have been pressuring the Goss government to investigate current safety practices. They are demanding a full-scale inquiry similar to that launched by Premier Bob Carr following an eight-day strike by armoured car workers in NSW.
The Queensland TWU wrote to Goss requesting he follow suit. Goss' response, almost two weeks later, was to offer to set up a "working party" to look into the matter. This was not enough, as John Alcock, a Brambles yard delegate, said at the rally: "We have to make a stand ... or it won't be long before someone else is killed".
Safety standards have been declining as the big companies cut costs to compete with smaller and more dangerous operators. Hughie Williams, TWU secretary, told Green Left that he knew of one case where a payroll was being delivered in a knapsack on the back of a motorbike!