Rift over
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training
Douglas, loM, Wednesday • The goodwill established, between the road haulage industry and the Road Transport Industry Training Board is being jeopardized by the attitude of some Board officials, and 'by disagreements over the interpretation of some sections of the grant scheme, it is alleged in the July issue of Road Way the RHA journal.
At a meeting last month the legal director of the RTITB was told by leading members of the RHA's education and training committee that members were becoming disenchanted with training, were suffering arbitrary, unexplained cuts in grants and were having to waste time in haggling with the Board. The RHA representatives stressed that the operators who were suffering most were those who had entered into training with the greatest enthusiasm.
Examples of the disagreements over grants concern training officers, day release and supplementary grants. The Board insists that to qualify for the maximum annual grant of £2,000 a training officer must meet specific standards of training or experience, but the RHA committee argues that training officers doing an equally good job are ranked only as administrators, qualifying for £1,000 per year. On day release to colleges, the Association feels that the RTTTB is too restrictive, especially in not allowing for travelling time when computing grants. The RHA would also like to see daily grants for training vehicles used at off-the-job centres paid in addition to the fiat £400 contribution towards the cost of each new training place established.
Association inquiry Meanwhile the RHA is launching a wideranging inquiry into present and future training in the industry as part of a campaign to encourage young men to make a career in road haulage. Once the basic information provided by the survey has been analysed a working party will issue advice on future training requirements and eventually a booklet will be prepared for circulation to schools, youth employment organizations and similar outlets.