Hauliers asked drivers: Could you make profit?
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• A Chesterfield (Derbyshire) firm, Mullan Brothers Ltd, told CM this week that it had decided to close down the road haulage side of its business and continue only with civil engineering and plant hire; 25 drivers will lose their jobs.
About a week ago the men struck after the sacking of a driver who was said by the management to have persistently failed to carry out his duties properly.
Mr Peter Mullan, who started the business 25 years ago with his brother, using two ex-army trucks, last week told CM he had made a serious offer to the drivers that they should run the haulage side of the business for a year to see if they ' could make a profit. However, he said, the United Road Transport Union had replied that it considered that it was the duty of "the boss to make profits" and if he could not do so, to resign.
It is understood that the drivers, who have been carrying out coal hauling contracts for customers in the West Midlands, Liverpool and Manchester, have averaged more than DO a week wages over the year.
In a statement, the union claims that the strike arose over a dispute concerning the company's pay structure; the union wanted payment for each hour worked rather than for each load delivered. Said Mr W. French, for the union: "If Mr Mullan is not prepared to pay the wages prevalent in the area, then I am not sorry this has happened. Our main task now is to find our members new jobs and to make sure the firm does not start up its haulage side again under another name."