Storm as BAOD leaches end of road
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IE BRITISH Association of vner Drivers is now almost rtainly dead, following the iignation of the chairman, .:.e-chairman and secretary the first annual conference the weekend.
Drivers at the meeting itched open-mouthed as cretary, Mike Wells, )rmed from the platform of e meeting held in Coventry it threatened to descend to e level of a shouting match. He was followed minutes ter by chairman, George ?,11y, of the North Humberle Owner Drivers Associam who had earlier offered to sign at a BAOD executive eeting held before the conrence.
At the executive meeting, ncolnshire and South Humn-side Owner Drivers' presentative, David Leachan, had questioned the fact at that there were three orth Humberside men sitting the committee: Mr Kelly, ce-chairman, Harry Boland, id an NHODA representative the committee.
Mr Boland resigned as vice lairman after the meeting, id Mr Kelly was obviously 3nplussed by the episode but they, with Mr Wells, ran the conference following the meeting.
When the conference started only 37 members were present out of a membership of 272 nationally and some elements gave a hostile reception to speakers.
Road Haulage Association national vice-chairman, Ken Rogers, was among those to be greeted by interruptions and pointed questions. After questioning him, the committee invited him to attend the rest of the conference and answer further questions later.
But not long after he resumed Mr Rogers was pushed to one side and the arguments began.
Former secretary, Mike Wells, told CM that "a partisan local quarrel between the South Humberside men and their North Humberside neighbours was responsible for the break up."
He was suspicious that outside influences had brought the situation about. Mr Wells accused the SHODA men of "setting out to destroy the BAOD."
Mr Wells said that the BAOD had been on the verge of a huge bulk purchasing plan and had been about to become a limited company, "everything was falling into place," he said.
Now he has written to all members telling them that in view of developments including the three resignations, he is no longer prepared to handle the affairs of the Association.
He says in the letter that it is the duty of members to elect a new chairman and vicechairman and to appoint a new secretary.
Mr Wells said that he is now preparing to wind up the Association, he added that there must now be an extraordinary general meeting to decide the future of the Association and its funds.
The rift has been caused in part by negotiations over a possible affiliation that had been going on between the BAOD executive and the Road Haulage Association.
RHA national chairman John Silbermann told CM this week that he was extremely sorry to see the demise of the BAOD.
"I would like to compliment Mr Kelly, Mr Wells' and Mr Boland on the work that they did," he said. "It is not always appreciated that voluntary work like this is not done for personal gain.
"There was no reason why we should not have got on together, there was no conflict at all," he added.
See page 35 for BAOD conference report.