ALB Law wants tachos out in blacking dispute
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Derby firm affected by action 'men don't want'
by CM report ALAN LAW, the Transport and General Workers' Union's strong-willed Midlands trade group secretary, is insisting that a Derby haulage firm removes tachographs from its vehicles before lifting blacking instructions to depots throughout the country. Mr Michael Atkins, a director of the firm, F. B. Atkins and Son Ltd, told CM this week : "There is no way we will take them out. We would rather close the company."
The company has said throughout the dispute, which has lasted a month (CM April 11), that its drivers were satisfied with the company. Mr Atkins said: "We are not going to be bullied any more. Our drivers are satisfied—they want to keep the tachographs."
The dispute began over a pay deal which the company planned. It offered a El an hour deal over 50 hours. Mr Law said that a 55-hour week was required. Although the company is now paying El an hour, the union demand has changed. At a meeting organised by the Conciliation and Arbitration Service last week, it was clear, says Mr Atkins, that the union side would settle only for a removal of the tacho graphs.
Atkins vehicles are now being blacked at Birmingham's Perry Bar container depot, the Leeds Containerbase, Coatbridge depot, Glasgow, and some other Leeds depots. Although business for the company is good—it has just won a new £30,000 contract with a Russian concern—eight drivers who have left since the dispute started have not been replaced.
A drivers' meeting last Saturday refuted allegations made in the Commons (see below) that the company was asking men to work over the hours, said Mr Atkins. The shop steward quoted by a Labour MP did not seem to exist, he said.
Mr Atkins points out that the company has fitted tachographs—and Servis recorders before them—for many years without complaint. "We use them only for checking that driving is safe and that our 50 mph speed limit is not exceeded," said Mr Atkins. Charts are destroyed after a week.
When CM approached the TGWU for comment we learned that Mr Law is away on holiday. Mr Jim Hunt, Derby district officer, refused to make any comment, saying too much had been said in the press already. He revealed that he was leaving the district for another job and would not be involved further.
A spokesman for the conciliation service told CM that no further meeting was planned. "When two parties are so far apart and hold such firmly entrenched views, there is little we can do," he said.
Two reasons for the dispute were put forward in the Commons last week . .. according to a Tory it had been caused by a pay claim, while a Socialist blamed the firm's insistence on using tachographs.
From the Government . . . a tactful refusal to take sides (reports our political correspondent).
It was Mr Peter Rost (Tory, Derbyshire South East) who spoke of Atkins lorry drivers and management being bullied and blackmailed by an official of the Transport and General Workers' Union into breaching the guidelines of the social contract.
He suggested it was time the Government came off the fence and defended their own social contract and prevented jobs being lost. Mr Albert Booth, Minister State for Employment, to him that the Advisory, Conci ation and Arbitration Servi had arranged a meeting h tween the parties to the di pute, and in view of this he d not think it would be helpf in seeking a solution for hi to comment on any allegatio against either of the parties toe dispute.
Mr Leslie Huckfield (Labot Nuneaton) said he had a col of a letter from one of Atkir shop stewards giving details gross violations in the regul tions concerning drivers' hou and of undue manageme pressure on drivers. That lett had been sent to the Minist for Transport with a reque for an inquiry.
The reason why the vehicles had been blacked Birmingham was not to with wages, added Mr Huc field, but concerned the firrr insistence on using tach graphs, which was against ti national policy of the TGW Allegations that the TGV. was insisting on more pay aft drivers had agreed terms wi the company were reported CM April 11. At that tir there was no suggestion th the use of tachographs w a factor in the dispute.