Bombers' woes make Little rethink move to rejoin Toll board
Mr Little had planned to return to Toll's board a year after he stepped down as chief executive in late 2011.
But Toll said late on Tuesday that Mr Little had advised the company that "due to other commitments he is not able" to return to its board. However, he will retain his role as a member of Toll's Singapore business board.
Mr Little, who turns 66 in December, was elevated to chairman of AFL club Essendon in late July after stockbroker David Evans quit after the fallout from a supplements scandal.
The architect of the transport giant had faced opposition from some shareholders, who believed he was looking to return to Toll too soon after he had relinquished the reins to Brian Kruger.
Apart from his role at Essendon, Mr Little also has a property development company.
The news comes as Toll averted strike action after reaching an in-principle agreement on Tuesday with a key union over a new enterprise deal covering more than half the workforce.
Toll and the Transport Workers Union, which represents thousands of Toll workers, resolved a sticking point over whether to extend the agreement to all new work. While the labour agreement will only apply to existing Toll workers, the union will be involved in setting conditions for staff who work for any new business the company takes over.
The deal also includes wage rises of 15.25 per cent over four years. The in-principle agreement will now be put to the union's delegates in advance of meetings of workers at Toll's sites around the country over coming weeks.
The breakthrough comes a week after staff voted overwhelmingly in favour of legally protected strike action, which could have included work stoppages of up to 72 hours. The enterprise agreement covers about 10,000 workers at Toll.
Toll moves goods for retailers including Coles and and Woolworths and the possibility of strike action threatened to hit supply chains. Toll has also named Qantas executive Ken Ryan as a non-executive director.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Toll announced Paul Little advised the company that, “due to other commitments he is not able” to return to its board. The article says those commitments include his role as chairman of AFL club Essendon and his property development business. He had planned to return a year after stepping down as CEO in late 2011.
Yes. According to the article, Paul Little will retain his position as a member of Toll’s Singapore business board even though he will not be returning to the company’s main board.
Yes. The article notes some shareholders opposed his prospective return, saying they believed it would have been too soon after he relinquished the reins to CEO Brian Kruger.
Toll reached an in‑principle agreement with the Transport Workers Union that averted planned strike action. The deal covers more than half the workforce and resolves a dispute over extending the agreement to new work. For investors, avoiding a strike reduces near‑term risk to operations and supply chains.
The in‑principle enterprise agreement includes wage rises totalling 15.25% over four years. The agreement currently applies to existing Toll workers (about 10,000 employees) and will be put to union delegates and workers for approval at site meetings.
Yes. The article points out Toll moves goods for retailers including Coles and Woolworths, so strike action threatened to hit supply chains for those customers. The in‑principle agreement averted that immediate risk.
Toll has named Qantas executive Ken Ryan as a non‑executive director. The article highlights this board appointment as a notable governance development, given his executive experience in the transport sector.
Investors should watch whether the in‑principle enterprise agreement is approved by union delegates and workers, how the agreed wage increases affect operating costs, any further board appointments or governance changes, and ongoing impacts (if any) on supply‑chain contracts with retailers like Coles and Woolworths.
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