Some hauliers agree to 'blue flash schedule'
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• Between 25 and 30 hauliers in the Midlands have agreed to the TGWU "blue flash schedule" (CM July 13) which will increase heavy goods vehicle drivers' wages by four per cent plus £1 from September 1. The lowest rate will then be £27.90 for vehicles up to 5 tons, the highest £30.75 for vehicles over 21 tons. There are 450 Road Haulage Association members in the West Midlands area so that the vast majority are largely unaffected by the change.
A spokesman for the RHA told CM this week that whereas TGWU previous schedules had been headed "minimum rates of pay for drivers of heavy goods vehicles", the new schedule was called "minimum rates of pay of drivers holding hgv licences". He said that the significance of the change in the title would mean that men holding hgv licences would be entitled to the rate of pay for which they were qualified even though they were not driving heavy goods vehicles.
It also meant, said the spokesman, that there could be no additional claim for licence holders as there had been last year.
It is estimated that some 3000 drivers will receive the increase which has been negotiated separately with each of the operators and has not been signed by the RHA.