'Underpaid and Exploited' SO MR. PETER WALKER considers the TGWU,
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and the drivers involved, the real guilty persons who are injuring the country's financial position. Who is he kidding? Let's have a look round, Mr. Walker.
We have drivers handling vehicles nearly twice as large as they were a few years back, load capacities have risen from 15 tons to 20/22 tons and mileage per day from 160 to nearly 300, drivers are towing trailers without mates, driving outsize artics and handling loads up to 60 ft. long. Many of these only just scrape within the law.
Drivers load, off-load, obtain return loads and are expected to carry out small repairs. As well as all this they have the weather conditions to contend with. Perhaps Mr. Walker would like to book on at 7 o'clock on a foggy or icy night instead of retiring to the comfort of a cosy fire in his luxurious home?
The true position is that lorry drivers have been grossly underpaid and exploited ever since transport proper started (the horse and steam days) but thanks to the unions we have started to get fair wages and conditions and we mean to keep them, Mr. Walker, in spite of your party.
LORRY DRIVER, Clapton, London, E.5.