Bakers warn of sackings
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A WARNING that bread delivery drivers who refuse to deliver to shops selling bread below 18p a loaf risk being sacked, came from the Bakers Federation this week.
Federation director David Duke-Evans made his threat clear: "If persuasion did not succeed it could lead to action and sacking," he warned.
A statement from the bakers said: "Any continuation of the present uncertainty of supply being experienced by retailers in some parts of the country cannot be endured after the end of the week."
Action could begin if agreement is not forthcoming between the United Road Transport Union, the bakers, supermarket traders and Prices Secretary Roy Hattersley, at a meeting due to have taken place last night.
But URTU general secretary Jackson Moore told CM this week that a similar meeting held last week was "a nonevent, we got nowhere, I don't know about it being a meeting — it was more like a bloody conference," he said.
"It is the inactivity of the Prices Department that has caused problems, and now only time will tell if we can get them sorted out," said Mr Moore.
A call for a national public • inquiry to put an end to the dispute came from the Transport and General Workers' Union.
National organiser Jack AshwelI also said that drivers in Norwich had already reached an agreement with their employers over the preservation of their jobs.
A Norwich branch spokesman commented: "What right have we to be the price regulators? We have contained the situation here since October and we are happy with things," he said.