Drivers lock out boss in pay row
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by Sally Nash • Furious drivers at Suffolk-based European Road Services, who say they have not been paid for weeks, have taken matters into their own hands and locked their managing director out of his Hadleigh premises.
Driver Peter Pocock claims the situation came to a head after managing director Gordon Tullett gave weekly reassurances about payments which came to nothing.
In some cases, says Pocock, cheques were bounced.
The 18 drivers say they are owed between £1,800 and £2,200 apiece. "We are disgusted," says Pocock. "He (Tullett) will stay outside until he pays." Last week the drivers staged a sit-in protest at the site, sleeping in their cabs and cooking on a barbecue. On 7 August the drivers were all sacked by Tullett, but they remained at the site to fight for their money.
Talks with finance companies, representatives from conciliation service ACAS and the Department of Trade and Industry continued all last week, but as Commercial Motor went to press, funds had still not been released and Tullett remained locked out. Speaking from his home, Tullett insists that he wants to "help the drivers rather than hinder them".
"I have taken advice on insolvency and we are in a situation where we cannot trade," he says. "The drivers were let go because they can either try to get another job or go on benefit. I am trying to do what I can."
David Ross, a director of factoring company Asset Line, which was working with European Road Services, claims it breached a finance agreement by trading with debts of over £250,000. "We had to stop funding the business," says Ross.
The drivers have enlisted the support of a local solicitor who is giving them free legal advice. Drivers' spokesman Colin Morris has appealed for financial support to enable them to continue the blockade.