The Value of the Trade Unions to Drivers
Page 29
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
An Official of What is Claimed to be the Largest Union Queries the Need for a Drivers' Association
By J. E. CORRIN
National Secretary, Transport and General Workers' Union
IREAD, with great interest, the 1 editorial in the issue of your journal dated August 15, in which was suggested the need for a well-organized and comprehensive association, representative purely of drivers of commercial vehicles. With some amusement I learned from the sub-hending that "several important bodies represent operators but drivers have no such organization." Can it be that " The Commercial Motor" has not yet heard of the Road Transport Commercial Group of the Transport and General
Workers' Union? Also that, within the largest trade union in the world, there is a trade section dealing wholly with the points raised by G. E. Carter in the same issue.
The Transport and General Workers' Union, with other sunions, fortunately for both operators and drivers, has, by joint effort with the organized section of the employers, removed the evil practice of work without pay, and has established wages and conditions comparable with those obtaining in other industries. This was accomplished only after long and bitter struggle, and piuch remains to be done to improve the welfare of those engaged in this essential industry.
It might be of interest to your readers and contributors to learn that this Union has already in ocieration a registration .system whereby its mmhers' history of employment is obtained and filed, and hundreds of vacancies are filled annually with welltrained men who give satisfaction to reputable employers requiring persbnnel and availing themselves of this service.
Further, the Union has been party to the inauguration of many superannuation schemes, particularly in connection with the C-licence section of the industry. It is to be hoped that the progressive element amongst the A and .13-licence holders will not be found wanting when the Unions submit proposals, at an appropriate time, for a penlion scheme to cover workpeople operating Aand B-licensed vehicles.
The Important . Matter of Wages
Your correspondent, quite rightly, hopes that wages will not fall in the same way as they did after 1914-18. It must be remembered that, in those days, the employers had matters very much in their own hands and many took advantage of the position then obtaining: Much progress has since been made and the wages question can safely be left in the hands of the trade unions represented upon the Road Haulage Central Wages Board.,
Your editorial suggests that membership of an association might run into many thousands and would, undoubtedly, possess a strong political interest. The naembership of the Road Transport Commercial Group of this Union runs into many scores of thou sands ain has a strong political aspect. By reason of this fact, the Union has been able to make a lasting contribution to the welfare of thl industry through the .medium of its panel of Members of Parliament. Could the present machinery regulating wages and conditions within the industry have been brought into operation without the intensive and extensive knowledge of road-transport conditions possessed by the. Union's representatives ie the House ?
The Union's Many sided Activities
" Tantahis," in your issue of August 22, has reviewed and amplified the suggestions. Let us examine his remarks. Has too little attention been paid to organizing personnel ? This Union has offices established in every important town in the British' Isles for the purpose of organization and service to the interests of its members. The Union office is an established institution rendering service far beyond the field of wages and conditions, which "Tantalus "regards as the primary function of a trade union. An hour or so spent in such an office would reveal the scope of a trade, union as all-embracing; as touching upon every angle of human life, from problems of a minor domestic character to those or national importance. Throughout the whole range of problems, from family differences to legal questions arising out of any Enactment, advice is readily given and , assistance just as readily rendered. Is there need for an organization of a supplementary character ? The welfare of the workers is so linked up with the interests and activities of the trade unions that a supplementary organization would weaken rather than
strengthen the structure. The trade unions have first-hand knowledge of all 'matters pertaining to conditions in industry, whilst the essential organization exists and is functioning.
An interesting point raised by " Tantains " is his suggestion of. the payment of highea wages to drivers who are interested in their work and in the vehicles they operate, and who possess clean licences. First, it s,hould
appreciated that the Road Haulage Wages Orders lay down minimum rates, as do other trade-union agreements covering the industry, and there is no reason why merit should not be recognized by an employer by the payment of a higher wage. Secondly, the actions of an unscrupulous employee asually reap their own reward in suspension or dismissal, and this type of worker is not encouraged by the unions. No case could be argued, fro& the social point of view alone, for a deduction from the minimum rates in such cases, and in any event, it would be difficult to say who cm what body should be the arbiter, and by what yardstick or standard the gravity of the offences should be measured. • In passing, it might be' mentioned that carelessness and unscrupulousness are not the prerogatixe of either employers or employees, and within the trade unions there exist the facilities for dealing with either or both.
The difficulties in connection with food supplies experienced by those catering for commercial drivers, has exercised the minds of the trade unions, which have charged representatives with the duty of visiting catering establishments on main arterial roads to Collect first-hand information. Documents have been submitted to the Road. Haulage Central Wages Board for suitable action to be taker!. The Emergency Coaditions . Committee of the Board appointed a subcommittee which met representatives of the Ministry, of Fad, of the Welfare Department of the Ministry of Labour and of the War Office, this last-mentioned department being brought in because of the advantage taken of the facilities at transport cafés by military convoys, to the exclusion of commercial drivers.
Dealing with Food for Drivers The War Office subsequently instrUcted all Commands that rations in palatable form should be issued to convoys and that the personnel of these convoys should be permitted to pus"chase only beverages and up to a maxi
mum price of 6d. per person. The Ministry of Food amended the system of meat allocation, with beneficial results.. The question of a more generous allocation of other foods to the cafes, is being pursued, and the Ministry has been supplied with a list denoting key points on the main roads throughout the _country, where it is considered essential that cafes should be established or existing premisai taken over so as to ensure a 24-hour service and adequate food facilities. The Central Wages Board is in a much better -position to deal with this problem than would be any other organization, and it has availed itself of every avenue of approach. • Much of the difficulty with regard to fool supplies has been created by the cafe proprietors, who have submitted
inaccurate details to the Food Offices, but union officials throughout the country have retrieved the position by acting as liaison officers between the cafes and the Food.Offices. One of the greatest' difficulties is the lack of organization amongst proprietors themselves, and, in some cases, their diffidence in . supplying information. The existence of a central body would have obviated the necessity for calling upon proprietors individually and would have made information more easily procurable. Tradeamion members have been responsible for most of the evidence laid, and there is a deep aPpreelation of the difficulties under which drivers are labouring at the present time, The unions have played a great pd.rt in alleviating the difficulties consequent upon fooil rationing, Advice Bureau
Embodied in Structure . The establishment of an !Advice Bureau on the lines outlined by "Tantalus " has, as-aiready indicated, been an integral part of the structure of the trade unions since their incepticfn. Adatice on legal matters, insurance and conmensation is given as part of the service covered by the weekly contribution, and most unions maintain a. central legal department, the task of which it is tcr protect the interests of members in all matters arising out of the many enactments which regulate industrial life and workers' welfare, An examination of the legal dossiers will testify to the invaluable service rendered by the trade-union movement in this connection. Employers have sought and obtained assistance from the unions with regard to inaccurate or inadequate details supplied by men when registering for military service, and it should be known that, in the majority of cases, the men lost to _ industry have not been members of a trade union or have failed to pay due regard to the adVice regularly proffered at meetings and through the -.unions' offices and publications.
The unions cateiing for road-transport workers have had great regard to the post-war position and the possibilities of nationalization or the establishment of some central control, By means of trade-union representation upon each important body appointed by the Government, and by daily contact with the appropriate Ministers on all matters relating to the industry, a careful watch is being kept on all developments, and policy shaped 'accordingly. Due regard is paid to any constructive suggestions from practical minds, and it is interesting to note that, througheiut the committee system of the Road Transport Commercial Group of the Transport and General Workers' Union, from the branch to the National Committee, appointment is madefrom the active lay members, who intelligently advance the views of the wairkpeopIe whilst bearing in mind the welfare and 'progress of the industry and its valuable contsihution to National needs.
By adjusting their procedure to meet• local requirements, the unions have overcome the difficulties of meeting drivers engaged on long:distance services or who work irregular hours. Facilities are afforded for full and frank discussion amongst all sections of the industry, and in this way, the views and desires. of all arc adequately and fairly represented.
After having carefully studied the many interesting points raised by your contributors, there does not seem to be a single point which does not fall Within the scope of normal trade-union activity. ' The very arguments adduced 'confirm the need for every road-transport worker to accept trade-union mem
bership. By this means only can the organized employers be afforded the be-nefit of first-hand knowledge of the viewpoints of the workpeople as a whole. The same arguments apply to those employers who remain outside the appropriate associations. Only by strong organization on both sides can the fullest measure ofcollective effort be exercised to the benefit of those engaged hi this great and progressive industry, and to the advantage of the community as a whole.
Divided Ranks of the Employers The unions are conscious of the divided ranks of the employers and the oft-times ill-advised criticism levelled against their representatives who serve on the Area and Central Wages Boards. One has only to read the columns of " The Commercial Motor," particularly when wage advances are under ,discussion, to discover the attitude of the employers' associations and to learn the real value of trade unionism in an industry in which a very hard fight has had to' be conducted by the unions to secure and maintain a really protected position for the workers, The unions are performing a great and valuable service to their members and to the industry, and the workers should exercise their rights and assume their responsibilities by becoming rem-. bers. In this way only can their general welfare and wages standards be maintained and improved, and tlie work,people afforded an opportunity of meeting any criticism directed against them and against those whose heavy responsibility it is to shape their future destiny. Supplementary associations cannot meet the need and the policy must be one of unification rather thanan increase in the number of existing organizations