Minister Rejects 10-hour Day for Drivers
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BY A SPECIAL' CORRESPONDENT
THE Minister of Transport, I understand, has rejected the suggestion of the Transport and General Workers' Union for a maximum legal 10-hour day for drivers. He said he could not see how it would make easier the enforcement of the regulations concerning drivers' hours and the proper keeping of records
Mr. F. Eastwood, of the T.G.W.U., is to ask the Minister for a meeting and a fuller explanation of his views. He may also press for the stipulation of a maximum mileage which a driver may cover in a day.
It is thought that if there were such a figure, the work of enforcement officers would be eased, and breaches of the regulations would be more likely to be detected.
The Union are exerting a great effort to make the application of the regulations more effective, although it is recognized that there are too few enforcement officers.
The 10-hour day is one of the terms of agreement between the unions and British Road Services for the operation of heavy vehicles at 30 m.p.h. So far there is no known case in which a freeenterprise haulier has reached agreement with the unions on the matter. Indeed, the 10-hour day has been flatly rejected as impracticable by the employers.
It is unlikely that the Union will press the Road Haulage Association on the matter until the B.R.S. scheme has been put into operation. Some hauliers have, however, introduced bonus arrangements to compensate men in cases where there has been a recognizable increase in output through operation at 30 m.p.h.