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Strong medicine proposed

—but will RHA members swallow it?

BY JOHN DARKER, AMBIM IN recent months the Road Haulage Association has undergone severe public criticism from the Prices and Incomes Board, From the Minister of Transport—even from Mr. George Brown, in his last days at the Department of Economic Affairs. Some of the ziticism may not have been fully justified but the Association's public standing has not, on balance, been enhanced by the exchanges.

Thoughtful members of the RHA have long realized the need for a radical springclean and they persuaded the Brighton conference in 1963 to pass a blockbuster of a resolution urging the formation of co-operative units with planned inter-working, with joint repair and maintenance and administrative services; the setting up of a nation-wide network of freight exchanges, eliminating clearing houses run for profit; and the establishment of new commercial organizations to arrange favourable credit facilities, bulk buying, emergency repair facilities, legal aid and better overnight accommodation for drivers and vehicles.

A representative study group was set up some months later under the chairmanship of Mr. N. R. Wynn and its confidential report was starkly frank in places. Summaries so far published (COMMERCIAL MOTOR, February 11) do not reveal the depths of self-criticism the group permitted themselves. Some typical examples are quoted here in the belief that the generalized bromides favoured by some RHA spokesmen are worse than useless at the present time.

The study group supports the idea of co-operative units on a local basis but recommends "that all members of the unit should conform to a code of conduct and that breaches of the code should lead to expulsion from the unit. . . . Honesty and trust are considered to be essential . . and whilst it is hoped that these would be forthcoming without the thread of sanctions, it is felt that a code of conduct must be established so that action could be taken against offenders for the protection of the other members".

The study group recommends the "fairly fundamental" amendment of the RHA's constitution. It is all too evident that this is much overdue for after reviewing the circumstances of the Association's foundation the study group confesses that several of the present articles of association "are ambiguous and some of the more important have not been implemented". But it strives hard to be constructive, being less concerned with the present inadequacy of the RHA than with increasing its effectiveness.

While refraining from listing examples of constitutional deffcieneies which have led to abuses, the study group confesses that instances "will readily come to the minds of members who have been intimately concerned . . . over the years. Such members will appreciate that the disadvantages of the Association's present organization have all too frequently had to be off-set by improvization and the seizure of initiative, sometimes in ways not constitutionally warranted, by the officials of the Association".

The complexity and diversity of the road haulage industry presents specially difficult problems to its trade association. The study group deals cogently with the effects of this. It refers to "a variety of locally conceived opinions and desires, often irreconcilable (which) are pressed forward at the national level to the detriment of a coherent national policy". It stresses the lack of co-ordination of committee work at headquarters "with the result that there is often presented to the world an impression of unwieldiness and vacillation". It lambasts long-winded, ineffective and irresponsible committee members who "fail to conduct their business in an expeditious manner or with proper regard for the rules of procedure and relevancy".

The study group looks for "a simple, efficient and cohesive organization which is not governed by purely local and sectional interests and which does not pay too much regard to traditional attitudes . ." It seeks, most commendably, to "avoid the duplication of activity, to prevent the attempted application of inconsistent principles, to obviate the competition which sometimes arises between different committees, groups and factions". It goes on to make a large number of detailed recommendations for a streamlined administrative set-up, with a compact but representative governing body of 47 members, a chairman of eminence in public life and greatly expanded services to members (if the answers to a nationally distributed questionnaire show members' support).

The study group's report will inevitably provide material for discussion at the Torquay conference of the. RHA in October. The Association will never get a better opportunity of putting its house in order; but my fairly intensive straw poll suggests that there is little chance of the report's major proposals being adopted. One must hope for a constructive debate, and if conference decides to pigeonhole the scheme its authors will be well justified in demanding that the sceptics produce their alternative.

A dynamically changing society demands that institutions like trade associations and trade unions should demonstrate a readiness, even an eagerness, to change. The study group's report has been overtaken by recent events in the economic sphere but its conclusions are by no means wholly invalidated.

I would hope delegates at Torquay say of the report's authors: "You've given us a dose of strong medicine which was sorely needed; we'll implement your proposals in large measure, forthwith. Now, please prepare another tonic in the light of the present situation".

'The industry needs to grow up'

J. M. SILBERMANN, Hallett, Silbermann Ltd., London NW2.

T LIKE the plan and I believe its adoption would be to the advantage of the road hauliers of the future. Some people read into the proposals sinister possibilities. These fears, in my view, are absurd. The industry needs to grow up.

The proposed freight exchange and facilities are probably pie in the sky—in ten years' time the industry will probably be ready for them, though many would be greatly helped by freight exchanges today.

I have considerable doubts about a paid president. If we can find a man with the right understanding and with the right connections— preferably someone with the background and personality to intervene effectively in national debates concerning the industry—that's fine. But we don't want a peer as a spokesman and status symbol. If the right man cannot be found now, it would be much better to leave it for the present to the elected representative of the industry.

The proposals on committees and council meet with my full approval.

'Conduct code needed'

A. D. DANIELS, Townsends (Carriers) Ltd., Higham Ferrers. TT is desirable for the Association to find a paid president who can command national attention and project an image. A colourful personality like Quintin Hogg would be ideal.

A code of conduct for all road hauliers is very necessary and the RHA should do something here. As it is, almost anyone can join and many who do join seldom attend meetings.

There is some co-operation in this area; the East Midland group of express carriers were early pioneers, in fact. Today, more cooperation is desirable but many firms are frightened they would be swallowed up.

'A last resort only'

F. DACE, Daces Motors Ltd., Droylsden, Manchester.

STUDY Group on Co-operation? It's news to me. I've not attended meetings for a year—too busy to do so. But I support the idea of a paid president. We need a more forceful man to talk for the industry.

As regards co-operation, there is an RHA clearing house in Liverpool. Its rates are poor and many hauliers only patronize it as a last resort.

'Strength in small units'

ERIC R. TAYLOR, Eric R. Taylor (Transportation) Ltd., Manor Park, London E12.

CO-OPERATION in road transport is nothing new. Two hundred operators in East London banded together to deliver air raid shelters during the war. Many of the big transport groups have grown as a result of co-operation in the first instance. But it is unwise to force co-operation. The strength of the industry is its multiplicity of small units—if we had a dozen large groups, little monopolies, they would be ripe for nationalization.

We don't need a new constitution to deal with the over-large national committee. Its size is due to the need at the time of the merger in 1945 to give representation to the many diverse interests of its founder members. There is certainly no case today for 22 representatives from the metropolitan area to serve on the national committee.

Chiefly, I'm dead against the future of the Association being decided by a questionnaire sent to all members. Probably no more than 10 per cent of our 18,000 members have any real knowledge of or play any active part in the Association. The majority of inactive members are happy that their interests are served by road hauliers able to devote part of their time to the problems of the industry.

I am not in favour of Association or group trading. Insurance premiums, for instance, would be higher than they are now if the poor claims records of some hauliers were included in the "pool".

'An unwieldy animal

H. J. BAKER, Victory Transport Ltd., Rownbams, Hants

THE RHA is an unwieldy animal and needs reorganization. It needs more dynamic leadership which can best be obtained by more professionalism at the top—the problem is to combine this with democratic control by the membership. The study group's proposals do not appear to help much. An area secretary's life would be untenable as he would be called upon to serve too many masters; local autonomy is desirable, within limits.

Forty-seven is too many for the top policy-making body but we may have to proceed to a more compact body by degrees.

The risk with a paid spokesman is that he would sound insincere unless he was a man who had earned distinction in the industry; a political spokesman would introduce party politics, and lose influence in some quarters as a result. I think it would be better to have a spokesman for the industry who is of the industry.

'Areas must keep power'

DICK COLLIS, E.T. Collis, Bedford.

rr HERE is not nearly enough co-operation between RHA 1 members. There is excessive rate-cutting in this area, and efforts to prevent it by friendly contacts between members do not seem to make much progress. Some rates are cheaper today than a year ago, despite higher costs.

Some of our members were only retained with difficulty, recently, as they felt let down by the RHA's rate advice recommendations.

I'd love to see many of the study group's ideas come about. We need a prominent personality as president, but it is vital that areas retain power to run their own affairs. Ken Williams has done a marvellous job in keeping the Eastern area together.

'All for co-operation

ALAN HADLEY, A. Hadley (Pilgrim) Ltd., Shinfield, Berks.

WE practise co-operation around here on tipping work and we are all for the idea. We all do a lot of sub-contracting and because we help each other we are able to tender for many more jobs over a much wider radius.

The Mid-Southern Group idea was sound but they were too ambitious in regard to the area they sought to cover and they took insufficient note of the maintenance problems of operations away from base facilities.

I am all for a prominent paid president. He should plug the industry's interests as is done so successfully on behalf of the farmers.

As regards additional services I believe £4 or £5 well spent on behalf of members will show a better return than £2 badly spent.

Too much publicity!'

FRED BAKER, T. Baker and Sons (Transport) Ltd., Dudley.

-EiREE enterprise hauliers are notorious for not working together and I doubt if many of the study group's ideas would work.

Efficient and largely autonomous areas, such as the West Midlands, would be subjected to more headquarters' control under the plan. I am very much opposed to this.

I used to favour a paid president, but we're getting a bit too much publicity, of late, particularly in the House of Commons which seems to be full of transport experts! Our biggest difficulty is to shut up well-meaning MPs (on both sides) who purport to speak for us.

Ron Butt did a magnificent job for the Association; we should provide our own informed spokesman and not entrust the job to an amateur publicist with no personal knowledge of our affairs.

'Proposals too late'

JOHN D. BARBER, Nr. Sheffield. Barber Road Services Ltd., Oughtibridge

THE study group's proposals regarding co-operation have come too late. The firms who saw advantage in co-operating have been doing so for many years.

One of the most successful co-operatives is Sheffield Haulage & Storage Ltd. which commenced life in 1923 as Direct Motor Service Ltd. to solve the problem in Sheffield. The result of this today is that its members own some 1,200 vehicles and enjoy reasonable rates, the customers benefiting by having a reliable stabilized transport facility.

The industry cannot afford to provide facilities for the inefficient to remain in business—which is one of the side effects which would arise from the development of nationally sponsored co-operatives.

I support the proposal for a paid president of the Association on the basis that, being free of personal financial commercial commitment in the industry, he would have infinitely more time and opportunity available to him to enhance and project the image of the industry.

'Why this obsession?'

LEN WALSH, Amey's Transport (Oxford) Limited.

THE report long-windedly tells hauliers their salvation lies in co-operation. Most road transport men realized this long ago, and took appropriate action, but little attention is paid to the actual reorganization of the RHA as such. Indeed, only three of the 16 items in the projected questionnaire refers to this point.

The questionnaire is badly drawn up, and most questions cannot sensibly be answered yes or no. If only five per cent of the fort* are returned, the number that one usually gets back in such a survey, it would be absurd to base a major policy decision on them.

Why the obsession for a peer as a paid part-time chairman? We are a full-time industry, and our association needs the best individual that we can get, whether he wears a coronet or not, to serve and lead us on a full-time basis, and not only with a twoyear contract.

'Areas value autonomy'

L. T. HYDE, I. H. Hyde and Sons Ltd., Wallsall.

rr1HIS study group report is one of the best reports ever pro1 duced by a committee of the RHA, and I am most impressed by the work and thought that have gone into it.

But areas rightly value their autonomy and this sensitive issue will not easily be resolved, for this autonomy can only be preserved by areas keeping their own financial reserves and allocation of resources to themselves.

Areas which have husbanded their resources and improved their office accommodation and service to members contrast greatly with the set-up in poorer areas which cannot possibly accumulate these reserves through their smaller membership. Central office should increase their financial help to these areas out of the reserves built up instead of purchasing shares.

A paid president is unnecessary. Our immediate past national chairman, Ron Butt, did a grand job under very difficult circumstances and I have no reason to think that the present chairman will be unable to follow through in his predecessor's footsteps.