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188 
Let them eat cake — and some trifle
Page 20
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AGAIN THE Working Time Directive has featured in CM and not surprisingly it has highlighted the main problem: bosses with their heads buried in the sand hoping the WTD will go away.
In the past there have been comments from the bosses about how the WTD will ruin the road haulage industry and the costs involved, when all they are worried about is if they can afford that new BMW next year and keep it full of petrol — ie to at least maintain their standard of living or improve it.
The truck driver has subsidised the bosses for too long now with low pay and long hours. Now the tide is turning and heaven is being moved to put the WTD right out of the window if possible (although one feels it is too late now).
Let's be fair, it's time drivers had a piece of the cake with a little bit of trifle to go with it.The WTD is about health and safety and quality time with families.
And in terms of periods of availability, waiting time is working time or you should not be there—if you're not on duty you're trespassing and not covered by employers' insurance.
Going back to cost; other industries didn't quibble when factory workers dropped their hours from 48 to about 32 hours a week along with good pay rises, so why should road haulage be different?
As far as the undecided are concerned it's only the bosses and the government who are sitting on the fence to find a reason to rob drivers of any gains they might be entitled to, as usual. Barry Bothamley Ye*