Driving Hours Concessions
Page 31
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THE Order recently issued by the Ministry of Transport permitting, in the case of goodsvehicle drivers, one period of duty of eight hours instead of the normal simight lead operators to think that they have obtained a great concession, but this is not the case for two reasons.
First, the eight hours in question must be the only spell of work in the 24 hours, and intervals of rest and time for refreshment of not less than 40 minutes must be allowed, one of not less than 20 minutes to be taken not earlier than two hours and not later than five hours after the beginning of the period of duty.
Secondly, all this was permitted years ago, fob 4,lowing the Road Traffic Act, 1930, but was omitted from the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933, and has merely been reintroduced.
Now, the Minister of Transport has received an application from the Joint Council of the Retail Distributive Trades Section of the Road Transport Industry (which the Minister of Labour has certified to be a proper body to make such an application) for a variation of the driving hours laid down in Section 19 of the Road Traffic Act, 1930, as amended by Section 31 of the Road and Rail Traffic Act, 1933.
This is a comparatively minor request so far as the extension is concerned, as it is only to increase the period of 11 hours to 12 hours on not more than 16 days between December 11 and January 19 next inclusive, the employer to be permitted to select any 16 days within that period, and the variation to apply only to persons delivering goods fromretail shops or stores to their customers.
At the same time it will be in the nature of a precedent, and from this point of view is certainly of some importance.
The matter will be decided by the Industrial Court, a meeting of which has been fixed for next Monday, when parties to the application will be heard. Any representation from organizations of employers or workpeople concerned in this matter is required to be submitted in writing.
It is freely stated by both owners and drivers in the industry. that the present hours of working are, in some cases, and in certain trades, causing a great deal of difficulty, involving a complete reorganization of transport methods, and where full justification exists for temporary or permanent in. creases in the periods of driving we trust that such applications will be granted by the Industrial Court.
We are not advocating a return to the chaotic conditions which formerly existed, for the restrictions in respect of working hours have, in many instances, proved beneficial and are being loyally observed by the majority of operators.