Customers warn of pay rise rate revolt
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AS NEGOTIATIONS aimed at getting striking lorry drivers back to work were referred back to local negotiating committees of the Road Haulage Association a warning on the possibility of raising rates to cover the wages increase has come from the Freight Transport Association.
FTA made it clear this week that the message from the hauliers' customers is: "don't expect us to pay for your drivers' increase."
After the failure of weekend negotiations between the RHA and the Transport and General Workers Union at the headquarters of the Government's concilliation service ACAS it was clear that the RHA regarded the move back to negotiation at regional level as a second attempt at reaching an agreement.
But as CM went to press only the Western area was having any contact with the unions on the question of pay and even then it is only to be union attendance at an already-arranged meeting of the Joint Industrial Council.
Most of the RHA areas were waiting for a lead from the London headquarters of the association — but none was forthcoming.
An RHA spokesman told CM that the areas would be left to use their own local negotiating machinery in the same way that they had done before the ACAS talks breakdown_ But the spokesman made it plain that the association would be standing firm on its £60 for 40 hours offer. And the feeling among the regions is that this time the RHA should stand firm on its offer and not give in.
Despite the general view one Grimsby haulier is known to have made a deal with local drivers and he is now being ostracised by other hauliers in the area.
The haulier agreed the union demand for £65 for a 35 hour week after own account operators in the area ended their sympathy strike. "Our first priority is to our customers," said a company spokesman.
Now the firm is being allowed to pass the picket lines at the doeks and on Tuesday was collecting 2,000 tons of fish from a factory ship.
The Road Haulage Association has now embarked on a new publicity campaign to make sure that drivers are aware of the RHA offer. The campaign includes full-page 'advertisements in national newspapers outlining the offer and putting the RHA case.