A Drivers' Association Should Bring Better Co-operation
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
TWO articles have been contributed to your journal A on the trades unions to which many drivers belong and the very good facilities they offer to their members. These facilities do not appear to have_ been so well stated before.
Is there some fear that-the idea of a conservative association exclusively for drivers may fall through?
Whilst the unions have their good points, they should encourage a little more co-operation among their members. Their ideals seem • a little too point blank and vicious, and they appear to breed the wrong feeling among us.
As an example of this, I recently went to a large concern while driving an eight-wheeler and was informed that there was no proper labour to assist in unloading, which is quite understandable at the present moment. Why do the unions permit such a concern, which is strictly uniort, to allow two men of over 64) years of age to assist in dealing with a load which would have made • a young man sweat when many able-bodied men are doing jobs that could be tackled by little girls? Why do not their officials visitsthese places and see for themselisei what goes on? Why cannot the management change the men over for an hour? We are told that they cannot because they are union men. In fact, they have been given the Wrong idea about the whole matter.
Union concerns are among the worst to go to for collection or delivery. Why does not the foreman take his coat off and lend a hand? He will not because he is a union man. You may ask why, if I am so thoughtful, I did not• unload the vehicle myself? I did, with great physical effort, for the benefit of two older men, who were almost at breaking point after an hour's work.
No! Mr. Secretary, . wages and hours are not everything; do a bit of personal stuff, encourage your members to help each other, not stand and watch, unless they already have gone so far in this direction as to be unable. to change their ideas.
The drivers' association must breed its own classes of members by setting the example and being careful in the selection of those who join. It will, perhaps. take years to build up, but it may serve a good purpose, if so, why should the unions worry?
These features do not prevail in all sections of the unions, but they certainly do in some, and the whole system requires an overhaul, but I suggest that this
should be left until after the war. B. E. Enwrcx. London, N.3.