Count the cost?
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)ESPITE the fact that the road haulage industry settled its industrial elations problems and its wage negotiations without a dispute, it now finds tself the victim of the intransigence of others. The problems of the vehicle nanufacturers — and here British Leyland is not alone — have also been aggravated by the activities of others.
The steel strike has already caused vehicles to be taken out of service, .esulting in serious loss of revenue. In the case of a 32-ton artic this loss is of :he order of £1000 a week.
In the meantime standing charges go on. For every 32-tonner the operator has to find about £330 a week.
It is one thing to have one's traffic dry up because the customer is not producing; it is quite another to be prevented delivering goods to legitimate ustomers because of secondary picketing.
Road transport will always be the target for secondary pickets. This is a • icious practice which costs the country dear. It costs road transport its eputation and the operators their hard earned income.
Mr James Prior must not listen to he Cabinet doves who want him to soft ,edal the issue in his Employment Bill. 'eace at any price has already cost -pis country too much in both national nd individual terms.