CE and appliance retailers, distributors and thousands of brands who use StarTrack Express a subsidiary Australia Post are set to be hit with a new round of price rises.
Customers have been told that effective from November 1st the cost of using their service will go up by almost 4%. The rate increase will apply to all service rates for StarTrack services.
In addition, there will be a rate increase for oversize items. Goods over 32 kg, will be hit with a $75 oversize charge. Goods over 600cm will be charged an additional fee of 600cm.
The new charges come as suppliers and retailers are facing massive freight costs for containers, a lack of stock due to component issues.
Also changing effective from November 1, 2021, are the overall StarTrack terms and conditions.
Customers now have to use StarTrack’s electronic despatch system or an approved system.
The move to increase prices come as the large freight group battles union and labour problems.
Last week Star Track’s made a last-minute application to prevent employees striking on the basis that it would threaten public health and safety, including by affecting the delivery of critical medical supplies and COVID-19 vaccines, the case was dismissed.
StarTrack, applied under s 424 of the Fair Work Act 2009, to suspend or terminate protected industrial action by the Transport Workers’ Union and its members who were Startrack employees.
The union had advised Star Track on 17 September 2021 of its intention to take protected industrial action in the form of stoppages of work on 23 September 2021. Star Track argued that part of the industrial action would:
“Threaten or endanger the life, or personal safety or health, or welfare, of part of the population, being those who are reliant on medical supplies including but not limited to those who are not vaccinated or are partially vaccinated against COVID-19”.
