URTU throws down challenge
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• Transport and General Workers Union general-secretary Bill Morris has been told to "put up or shut up" by the United Road Transport Union as the long-running inter-union battle enters its next stage.
URTU issued the challenge as it announced it is setting up a "Truth Commission" to look into the allegations of racial discrimination made against drivers at Ford's Dagenham plant by the Transport and General Workers Union. Some 300 Ford workers left the TGWU over the allegations and joined URTU. But the TUC ruled that they should be urged to rejoin the larger union.
The allegations sparked URTU's eventual resignation from the Trades Union Congress (CM 15-21 Jan).
URTU says the independent inquiry will be chaired by a judge or senior lawyer, and an advisory panel will consist of senior trade union figures. The drivers and the TGWU will be invited to give evidence in public.
URTU general-secretary David Higginbottom says: "If the TGWU is not willing to cooperate or to withdraw its allegations, then people will judge it accordingly. In short, Bill should put up or shut up."
However, the TGWU dismisses URTU's challenge: "URTU is seeking further publicity from this but the issue it should be addressing is that the union is now outside the TUC."