Oct 19, 22:17 EDT

Truckers threaten fuel depot blockades across province

By Henry Stancu and Paul Irish Toronto Star Staff Reporters

Truckers are vowing to block fuel depots across the province to push for relief from the high price of diesel after failed talks with the province.

''We're not going to roll over. We'll be doing this until the fuel runs out and we'll be blocking other fuel depots around the province,'' said Richard Grills, spokesperson for National Truckers' Assocation.

Truckers blocked the entrances to the Esso and Sunoco fuel distribution centres on Finch Ave. W. near Keele St. Thursday night, delaying company vehicles one hour before allowing them to enter or exit.

''We are allowing vehicles carrying home heating fuel and we'll let essential service vehicles (police, fire or ambulance) through, but company trucks will have to wait,'' Grills said.

The fuel depot blockade was staged to protest failed talks with the province.

Executive members of the National Truckers Association said they were ready to sit down Thursday afternoon to revive talks aimed at helping cash-strapped drivers, but that Economic Development Minister Al Palladini called them off.

Police officers monitored the blockade and didn't interfere with the strike action. ''It's pretty peaceful as you can see,'' said one officer.

Grills said association members were meeting Thursday night to plan Friday's province-wide strategy.

''I'm still opposed to blockading the highway,'' said association president Bill Wellman. ''But I'm tired of calling off the protests on behalf of the government.''

Wellman said he received a call at about 11 a.m. Thursday from the minister's office saying the talks would not proceed because Palladini was waiting for the attendance of members from other Ontario trucking associations.

Wellman said a government official told him later Thursday there would be no meeting until Friday. Thursday night, Wellman said he not received a fax or an e-mail telling him where the meeting would take place.

An exasperated Palladini said it was not his understanding he was supposed to meet with Wellman.

Instead, he said he thought the working group of industry representatives, which includes Wellman, was to meet.

''I had an understanding from Mr. Wellman . . . that they would be coming back to the table. I said, `That's fine, but I want assurances that as long as we're at the table, there aren't going to be any further disruptions.' He agreed to that process, but (now) apparently Mr. Wellman is saying something completely different.''

Palladini said the province's role is limited to that of facilitator.

He reiterated his belief that regulation is not the answer. The industry must find market-driven solutions, he said. Still, if regulating the trucking industry turns out to be the only solution, it must be done federally, he said.

''Certainly I will welcome Mr. Tobin's participation if in fact that's the only way to go,'' Palladini said, referring to the new federal Industry Minister Brian Tobin.

Bill Ayotte, chairman of the National Truckers Association, agreed that a resolution to the problem may have to be found in the federal government.

''I don't know if Mr. Palladini can't help us or won't help us, but soon he's going to have to give us to a person who can,'' he said.

Fuel prices have shot up some 75 per cent this year, and the provincial government has set up a working group to look at possible ways to ease the financial crunch on the 15,000 owner/operators in Ontario.

Palladini had tried to push a deal earlier in the week where shippers and trucking companies would agree to pass on a fuel surcharge of between seven and 22 cents a mile to independent truckers.

The truckers balked, saying they wanted legislation to back up the voluntary agreement.

The Greater Toronto Area has been the scene of various demonstrations all week including the blockading of a Whitby food storage depot, a LCBO warehouse in Oshawa, various aggregate companies in Durham Region, automotive supply firms in Oshawa as well as rolling convoys on Highway 401 that have disrupted traffic.

The blockades have worried a few gas station attendants, including Rabi Maharaj, who works at the Shell station on Dixon Rd., near Kelfield Rd.

''We are really worried about it,'' he said. ''Thursdays are usually a bit slow but today it's busy. I guess a lot of customers have heard about it (fuel blockades) and are pumping gas.''

He added that he had about 500 customers yesterday evening, up from 300 that typically fill up on gas during the same period.

It is difficult to predict how soon gas stations could begin running out of fuel because each has a different storage capacity, said Lesley Taylor, head of public relations for the Ontario office of Shell Canada.

She said the blockade at the Keele depot hasn't affected supplies of gas yet, but Shell has another fuel depot in Hamilton that the company could re-direct truckers.

''We are working with the police to try and get the truckers moved but we have alternatives to supply our other stations at this time,'' said Taylor.

At the Shell Service Station on Albion Rd. in Etobicoke, attendant Noman Khawaja said he isn't worried about running out of fuel. His station holds up to 100,000 litres of gasoline.

''We got a delivery yesterday (Wednesday). But tomorrow (Friday) night we must get another delivery,'' he said, adding that the fuel usually runs out within a day or two.

http://www.thestar.com/thestar/editorial/updates/news/200010200_49955.html

-- Martin Thompson (mthom1927@aol.com), October 21, 2000