Tanker Drivers To Get Wage Increase

Minister of Science, Energy and Technology (MSET), Hon. Daryl Vaz, says tanker drivers are set to benefit from a rate increase.

Speaking in the House of Representatives on February 1, Mr. Vaz said since 2013, wage negotiations between the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTDA) and the Petroleum Haulage Contractors’ Association (PHCA) have been stymied, due to the dissolution of the PHCA.

The PHCA was responsible for ensuring equitable haulage pricing mechanisms, ensuring the capacity for transport across the island, and supervising petroleum loss reduction efforts.

He informed that on October 14, 2021, the Joint Petroleum Working Group (JPWG) was established, with Wayne Chen, Chairman of Petrojam, appointed as the Chairman.

Mr. Vaz stated that this Group is comprised of representatives from marketing companies, haulage contractors, tanker drivers, the Union of Clerical, Administrative & Supervisory Employees (UCASE), Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Ministry of Transport and Mining, MSET, the Fair-Trading Commission, the Jamaica Gasolene Retailers’ Association, the Jamaica Association of Petroleum Marketers and Petrojam.

The Group was mandated to finalise the recommendation for a minimum economic rate and related improvements to employment conditions for Petroleum Tanker Drivers.

“The Group agreed on the recommended minimum economic rate for tanker drivers and drafted a Safety Driver Manual for improved training and upskilling, in keeping with international best practices,” Mr. Vaz said.

He noted that the Joint Petroleum Working Group agreed on a minimum economic rate of $1,000 per hour based on the industry norms in relation to hazardous materials and risk factors.

“This represents a 270 per cent increase in relation to the lowest rate paid to tanker drivers, which equated to about $370 per hour, or the equivalent of $14,640 for a 40-hour work week,” Mr. Vaz said.

He added that the agreed haulage contractor and tanker driver rates were translated from hourly rates to a per litre per trip basis, to take into consideration distance covered and volumes transported.