P LETTER OF THE WEEK
Page 22
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
10 years later and nothing to show for themselves
DID TONY BLAIR see it coming? ('The war that wasn't won?' CM 9 September) No he didn't! Was the 2000 fuel protest worth it? It would have been if the trade associations had followed through.
Ten years on from the protests and our industry is still dying for a rebate. Operators are failing as you read this letter because both the associations who are supposed to represent us did not have motivated leadership to make it work when they had the opportunity on a plate in 2000.
The UK road haulage industry came together for a brief period in 2000. When it came to the point of negotiation, the associations allowed the moment to slip through their fingers. They have had 10 years to make this work, and still we do not have firm direction on how to address the effects of rising fuel duty.
In the article, Roger King (then RHA CEO) says: "Members were trying to leave the RHA because they did not want anything to do with this activity."
The 2000 activity was spontaneous and supported by various RHA members. They were smallto medium-sized companies, who had the opportunity to fight for their future.
Most of the 'big boys' stayed away and kept working. In my view, King is still distancing himself and the RHA from the 2000 protest by saying: -We discharged our responsibilities very well, given that it was an almost impossible situation we found ourselves in."
Geoff Dossetter, formerly of the FTA, says it had to tread a "fine line". Does that mean sit on the fence?
Would I take part in protest action again? Yes I would, but not if the associations were going to take another 10 years to negotiate a deal.The efforts of the protesters was wasted! To the protesters of 2000 and 2008: you did a very good job! To the associations: you failed to deliver the goods!
Mike Presneitl
MD, Presneill Tipper Contractors, and
co-founder of TransAction 2007