Mystery of Forth Bridge Boycott

25th September 1964, Page 91

25th September 1964

Page 91

Page 91, 25th September 1964 — Mystery of Forth Bridge Boycott

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D OAD hauliers were mystified last

week by a claim that lorry drivers' earnings were being hit because of the " short cut" over the Forth road bridge.

"Only short-haul men could possibly he affected ", said one Glasgow haulier, "and if they were working fixed hours it would not matter whether they were operating over the bridge or not. The long-distance men from Aberdeen. Dundee or Perth, and even Fife, going to such places as Birmingham. Manchester, Liverpool or London. would use the Kincardine bridge."

An official of the Scottish Commercial Motormen's Union said the running time on routes which were now included on the new road bridge had been cut so that drivers who used to work on scheduled shifts of II hours had their time cut by two or three hours, often at overtime rates. "We are not operating any ban yet he said, "but we expect to meet representatives of the employers soon to discuss the difficulties which have arisen."

A threat to boycott the new road bridge came after a meeting in Glasgow of the executive of the union, at which it was claimed that some drivers were losing. as much as £6 a week because their working hours had been cut.