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URTU takes James Irlam dispute to ACAS
Page 6
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IA The ongoing dispute between the United Road Transport Union and haulier James Irlam &Sons looks set to rumble on after it emerged that conciliation service ACAS has now become involved.
The union was angered last summer after boss David Irlam imposed a unilateral pay rise on its drivers, sidestepping union negotiators who were attempting to thrash out an agreed pay deal.
Irlam has made no secret of his dislike for the union. URTU first gained recognition at the Cheshire firm in September 2001, but It has met with stubborn resistance to its presence.
Although the enforced rise was actually higher than that offered to the union, URTU divisional officer Roy Abrahams says that the action shook Its faith in Ham's willingness to "negotiate in good faith". He adds: "What is clearly not acceptable is for the company to simply impose the deal. "It would not have been so bad if they had had the good manners to contact us prior to It being imposed. That offer should have been made to us across the negotiating table," he says. "You can't conduct any sort of relationship on that basis."
Abrahams says that he is looking to arrange a meeting at ACAS's Stoke office within the next month. He adds: "We live in hope that we can re-establish a good working relationship and move forward." If conciliation falls then the union could be forced to introduce a legally binding agreement with the firm.
Pam Thornhill, a spokeswoman for the firm, says: "We introduced a unilateral award. Nobody went over anybody's heads."
Fmail:dominic.perry@tti.co.uk