John Dee confronts RHA
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• John Dee, the company formed from the ashes of the John Dee Group, has hit back at the Road Haulage Association's attempt to block its 0-licence applications, arguing that it has saved 250 jobs in the NorthEast.
However, the RHA says it is determined to prevent John Dee from running lorries and will put forward a convincing case at the public inquiry in July. "The main reason we are objecting is that the John Dee Group took so much money off dozens of hauliers — sending at least two into liquidation," says Geoff Dunning, RHA North Eastern district manager. The John Dee Group was badly run and we don't want to see that happen again," adds Dunning.
A spokesman for John Dee says: "We cannot comment in detail before the Licensing Authority hearing, but since John Dee was launched on 11 March we have maintained employment for 250 people in the North-East. If we do not get a full Operating Licence these jobs will go."
The RHA believes that the jobs argument is irrelevant when considering whether a company is of good repute. "The work will not disappear if John Dee goes," says Dunning, "its customers will still need somebody to carry their goods."
According to Dunning the RHA rarely objects to applications for 0-licences; it has this time believing it will win.
John Dee denies that it has cut drivers' wages since its March launch. "The receiver accepted our bid on the basis that contracts of employment remained unchanged," says the company. John Dee says its offer for JDG's North-Eastern business was the "only meaningful bid" presented to receiver Cork Gully. It says that most of the cash was raised from outside sources and was not associated with the John Dee Group. Backers include Cammac Coal of Chesterfield (CM 21-27 March).
John Dee is currently tendering for several new contracts to add to its existing business with Magnet Joinery, breweries and engineering firms.