Canada: More Ontario truckers' groups threaten fuel protests

From Canadian Press

Despite the province's efforts to keep the big rigs rolling, some truckers in eastern and northern Ontario say they may still block highways to protest against soaring fuel costs.

Dwayne Mosley of the Greater Ottawa Trucking Association said his group is angry it is not being involved in discussions between several trucking groups and Economic Development Minister Al Palladini to hammer out a deal to help financially struggling drivers.

''We're going to beef it up,'' Mosley said outside the Ontario legislature Monday. ''And if that means blocking Highway 17 in Sudbury and Sault Ste. Marie, then I'm all for it, let them go ahead.''

Palladini said the deal he's trying to broker for independent truckers is for all Ontario truck drivers, and all will be given a chance to have input into the agreement.

Over the past week Palladini has been trying to stave off threats by the Oshawa, Ont.,-based National Truckers Association that they will park their rigs if no relief is in sight from escalating fuel costs and shrinking take-home pay for drivers.

Palladini said fuel tax cuts, which many drivers are calling for, are not the answer. Instead, he would like to see fuel surcharges - extra money paid to trucking companies by shippers to compensate for higher diesel prices - passed down to drivers.

The Ontario Truckers' Association, which represents larger trucking companies, has also been involved in the meetings. It wants a 12.6 per cent payment imposed on shippers. Palladini said Monday that he's not ready to talk numbers just yet.

''My objective is to have a working group in place and hopefully meet prior to Thursday.''

http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/updates/news/200009260_ONT-TRUCKERS.html

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), September 26, 2000