Co-operation not confrontation
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)URING the recent Trades Union Congress the trade unions representing coal, steel and ail formed a "consortium," a fact which was widely reported. Not so well reported was hle recent formation of a transport trade union "co-operative".
This group comprises the Transport and General Workers' Union, National Union of ieamen, National Union of Railwaymen and Aslef. Last weekend the leaders of these nions were reported to have stated that they now had the power to stop Britain's 'ansport. Collectively they have, but only if their members are prepared to withdraw 3bour in support of the claims of another union. This seems unlikely but nevertheless le threat exists.
Behind the thinking which brought about the cartel, we detect an acceptance by the -idividual unions that their position is not as strong as it once was. Undoubtedly their ollective strength could be devastating. The most disturbing aspect of the new group's Ihilosophy is their warning that they could bring Britain's transport to a halt. That macks of a strong-arm threat.
Surely it would be much more sensible for the unions to offer their co-operation to
-n prove Britain's transport system by working together to reduce duplication of services nd wasted effort?
Should they not be approaching the employers' organisations to devise more efficient lethods of transport and distribution? Every sector of transport has suffered political iterference. The trade unions seem set to continue to have political confrontations. ather than expend their energy on taking on governments, ie invite them to show politicians that those who perate transport can do so more efficiently if they re left to get on with it.