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Page 15
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Rikki Chequer, community manager of TruckNet UK. reports on current hot topics at the driver forum.
There have been a few mumbles and moans in the Professional Drivers forum this week.
Tesco drivers at Middlewich are unhappy with the takeover of the operation by Eddie Stobart. Many say they haven't been offered redundancy by Tesco, but believe that Stobart will not keep them on at the same rate as required by the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations. The consensus seems to be that they expect Stobart to start the 90-day consultation process for redundancies as soon as it takes over the drivers' contracts.
Felixstowe's Operation Stack has come under fire, with many drivers complaining they were left for hours parked up waiting for the dock to open with no facilities. There is agreement that something needs to be in place when Felixstowe suffers a slight breeze and closes down. Leaving drivers with no toilet facilities or chance to eat and drink is not the answer. Some drivers are now saying they will ignore the stack, inform the police they are en route to their yard and proceed to the quay since they are not willing to be treated in such a manner.
After 20 years in the navy, a potential recruit to the industry has come to the forums to ask for a realistic opinion or whether he should leave the forces and become a driver.
It must say something about the state of our industry and the morale among drivers that the huge majority of answers are telling him to stay in the navy. Citing bad pay, long hours, at times almost intolerable working conditions, lack of respect and overbearing legislation, almost no respondents had a good word to say.
One driver visiting an Asda regional distribution centre saw a notice to the effect that the canteen was predominantly for the use of the RDC employees, and that visiting drivers would be subject to a 100% levy on the prices listed. He wonders whether Asda has really thought this through: "If they are saying that the cost to a 'visitor' is twice the amount they would charge to an employee, then employee purchases are being subsidised by 50%, which, in taxation terms, is a 'benefit in kind', and HMRC should be notified in respect of every employee based at that depot (whether they use the canteen or not)."