SIT I N PRO R esidents of Hadleigh, Suffolk, had never seen
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anything like it. In just one week television cameras, the police and official-looking people in suits had descended on the town. It was not to film the latest episode of The Bill, but to witness what happens when a group of lorry drivers are driven to lock their own managing director out of his premises in protest over non-payment of wages.
The 18-strong group of drivers working for European Road Services, who had been sacked by the managing director Gordon Tullett while they staged their sit-in protest, did not budge from their position or from their goal of clawing back some £35,000 that they are owed. In some cases, drivers had worked for five weeks without seeing a penny.
Four weeks on, victory is now in sight and the 10 remaining drivers have left the Hadleigh Industrial Estate where they staged the sit-in. Factoring firm Asset Line is now trying to recover the money from a major customer of ERS and this will be passed on to the drivers. work and then were let down by their employer," says Asset Line director David Ross. Asset Line is looking through the documentation from the drivers and says funds will be put aside for them. "Hopefully money is on its way," says Ross.
Ordeal
Throughout their ordeal the drivers lost none of the zeal to carry the protest through to its end. What was initially a dispute became a crusade, with the drivers standing up for their rights for what they saw as moral and ethical reasons—to prevent this situation happening again.
Driver Cohn Morris, who took on the role of spokesman, summed up the drivers' bullish mood at the time: "We are going to sit here until we get paid," he said.
The dispute began at the end of July when the drivers learned that some of their pay cheques had bounced. They gathered on site on 1 August. The fol meant business and got the barbecue out.
Their anger towards Tullett erupted a few days later when there was still no sign of any money. They locked him out, barricading the gates and refusing to let anyone on to the premises. Police arrived to cool things down but as this was a civil dispute their powers were limited.
Tullett was interviewed in his car outside the gates, pledging support for the drivers. He argued that it was not his fault that the situation had got this far, blaming one of the factoring companies he dealt with for allowing ERS to trade with debts of £250,000 but then demanding a 40% reduction, This, he says, was impossible to meet.
"We can't do that—the bills keep rolling in," said Tullett. "What is happening is that the company is being forced into a 'stop' situation which has now been achieved. The net result is that the company is paralysed."
But Asset Line has a different story Ross compares the situation to having an overdraft from a bank. Asset Line pushed up ERS's limit from £100,000 to £200,000 but Ross claims that ERS went beyond this, to trade with debts of about £260,000.
"They breached our agreement so we had to stop funding the business," says Ross.
Over the past few weeks the drivers have won free legal representation and attracted a wealth of publicity with pledges of support . from Government ministers.
But generally the drivers have been disappointed by the lack of support shown by the UK haulage industry Perhaps they were hoping for a French-style blockade in which hauliers would come out in support all over the country.
"The English are frightened—frightened of losing their jobs," says Morris resignedly.
Support and sympathy have come from unexpected sources, such as the guy from a German diesel card company who brought over beers for the drivers, and the local Volvo dealership which organised a collection. But what of the instigator of the drama, Gordon Tullett? It appears that while the drivers remained barricaded for the whole of a very sultry August, Tullett—once apparently so keen to get on the premises to sort out the mess—has disappeared.
Rumours are flying that he has already left Suffolk to set up a new company possibly in the Midlands or the North. "There are lots of guys around like Gordon Tullett," says Morris. "You don't stop someone like that."
MP Tim Yeo has responded positively to a letter which highlights the problem of phoenix companies, and the Trades Union Congress has pledged to set up a fund.
Whatever uncertainty exists over Tullett's future, there is no doubt that the drivers succeeded in standing their ground and winning the battle. So how do they think they won this victory?
Morris has a simple explanation: "If you walk away from something, you don't get anything. If you stay, you do."
CI by Sally Nash