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Eddie denies squeeze
Page 12
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Stobart drivers claim rejected by firm. Sally Nash reports
HAULIER EDDIE STOBAKI is rejecting claims that the company is trying to squeeze out drivers who work a rigid Monday-Friday shift pattern in favour of those who are prepared to work weekends.
The United Road Transport Union says it has been approached by a number of drivers who feel that Stobart only wants to employ drivers working a flexible shift pattern from Tuesday to Saturday or Sunday to Thursday. URTU regional officer Graham Bird says: "Some of the Monday-Friday drivers feel that the company is trying to get rid of them to replace them with new drivers."
One driver told Bird that despite a clean accident record he was suspended when his curtainsider clipped a bridge. He felt that the company was using it as an excuse to show him the door.
Another complaint from drivers is that they are struggling to book in holiday on the dates they want.
URTU's Bird says the problem of disgruntled Stobart drivers will not go away; tramper drivers have previously voiced their concerns (CM 8 May). "Companies like Stobart need to start treating drivers like human beings instead of plugging them in like a fork-lift truck and unplugging them when they are needed," he warns.
Stobart human resources director Sheila Woodbridge robustly dismisses the claims. On the issue of shift patterns, Woodbridge says that the industry operates on a 24/7 basis. She stresses that working patterns have to change as a greater percentage of goods are now moved over the weekend.
Woodbridge points out that suspension during an accident investigation is "standard customer practice". She adds: "This is not to pre-empt the outcome and there is no victimisation involved."
As far as holidays are concerned, each driver had the same rights on a first-come, first-served basis. says Woodbridge. A list is put up at all the depots at the same time, the beginning of the year.