Truckers Angry About Fuel

BC Teamsters Union Press Release

A crowd of angry owner-operators of commercial trucks met in a Surrey hotel ballroom Sunday and pledged to stick together to preserve their livelihood in the trucking industry.

The meeting was called by the BC Teamsters Union in the wake of soaring diesel costs, which can add anywhere from $1,200 to $2,000 to the monthly overhead costs of owner-operators of trucks ranging from couriers to container rigs, dump trucks and long-haul units.

The owner-operators say they work for fixed rates set by the transportation companies, who have long-term contracts with their clients. When diesel costs rise rapidly the truckers are not compensated for the difference and they are expected to absorb the extra costs. Those costs are now making it unprofitable to operate a truck in EC.

Referring to all the politicians making speeches in the provincial election, BC Teamsters Union president Don McGill asked, "when the hell is someone going to start talking about the crisis in the transportation industry?"

He noted the prime minister was in town a week ago to give $636 million in gas tax to BC's municipal governments, he asked "How about giving some of that gas tax back to commercial truckers so we can stay in business?"
Speaker after speaker came to the microphone to make the case for relief from high fuel costs. A number of speakers called for immediate action including shutting down highways, but in the end the meeting agreed to meet again next week while leaders put together a plan of action.

Stan Hennessy from local 31 of the Teamsters told the crowd that a strong and united voice was needed to address governments and the industry on this issue. He said this was a province-wide issue and pledged to get in contact with truck operators in other parts the province.

Don McGill told the meeting another larger meeting of truckers would be held next Sunday, May 1, and the Teamsters would take the lead in developing a plan of action to put to that meeting.

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