Suggestion for Drivers' Association Finds Ready Support
Page 19
Page 20
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Of the Many, Letters Which We Have Received From Drivers, and of Which a Selection is Printed, Not One Contains Anytthing Other Than Enthusiastic Approval or Constructive CritIcism
A Drivers' Association Might Achieve Some Fine Results \JOUR leading article alid other contributions on the I relationship between man and master are most interesting. There is no doubt that such an association as you suggest might achieve some fine results.
The preferences and dislikes of..the men could be put before operators in a peaceable manner, and I am sure that they would appreciate .this; past, experience has proved the value of this so far as I am concerned.
The idea of a register for beds or lodgings and that of records of good and bad workers are also interesting. Unsatisfactory workers have a bad effect upon operators, whilst bad lodgings turn men against their work.
One point that must be given close attention is that the men who may be able to help in starting the association must come from the industry itself. We do not want newspaper writers and outsiders. The only writers who. I think, could be asked to advise on the starting of an association and how to run it would be, as many will agree, some experts from "The Commercial Motor," which, in my view., is a journal giving a " square deal."
The letter from Mr. G. E. Carter in your issue dated August 15 is very good. I, like him, have done much donkey work, but have not been fortunate enough to become the owner of a fleet. I am foreman driver for a Lancashire concern and look after the interests of this as well as those of its men in London, and to do this successfully one must have gone through the mill Knowing your drivers is half the battle, and when I say " knowing " I do not mean just their names—I mean an intimate knowledge of their capabilities and idiosyncrasies.
If anyone would like my co-operation in getting this fine idea going, I 'would be.very pleased to help. There is no doubt that most drivers have quite enough to do, apart from association activities, but•there are some of us who could make a spare-time job of it: I have no doubt that they and your journal would welcome further suggestions. R. Etwror. London, N.
Drivers Can Truthfully
Claim to be Key Men THANKS for publishing my letter on the matter of I the better representation of drivers. I note that in your own article on the subject you say that you would like a few suggestions, and the following may be of some value :--t
(1) Would the drivers in favour of such a body subscribe enough to enable you to publish bills for hanging in cafés, etc., all over the country?
(2) The stewards appointed in each town or district could, perhaps, arrange to collect the fees of members, sign for these and deposit them in a bank for control by a main London office, the returns to be published each *month in your journal.
(3) Such stewards would have to have the drivers' interests at heart, and if an operator complained about a man or suspended him for misbehaviour, his case would have to be dealt with by a proper committee appointed by the association. I have actually known of instances where operators who have been over-staffed have, in order to cut down expenses, and under the pretext of misbehaviour, put off drivers for a period.
(4) All accommodation for the men would have to be passed by the association's inspectors, and viewing of the establishments would have to be carried out fairly frequently. .
There are certainly 'enough drivers to make their voices heard all over the country. You sometimes hear people say that "he is only a driver." Now, the driver should be able to say " I am. one of the key men." I am not a believer in strikes, but if a man be worthy of his hire, it will pay the employer to look after him in bad days as well as mi. He should not be regarded as a robot; he is only human.
Drivers are so often men on their own, but an association would help them to help themselves as well as others who become disabled and may have families to keep. Make the commercial-motor drivers and owners take pride in each other and be prepared to extend help when it is required.
If I can assist in any wayI shall be pleased to do so.
Elmhurst. G. E. CARTER.
Operators May be Prepared to Assist Formation
VOU recently published (issue of August 1) my views I on the relationship of man and master. I was pleased to note that on August 15 there was an interesting letter from Mr. G. E. Carter, followed by my own contribution. When I read it, I thought of .the Bedford Drivers' Club and found, later, that you also referred to this indirectly in a leading article.
The idea of an association for drivers is most timely, and I am convinced that one is really needed. I had wondered whether the C.M.U.A. or the A.R.O. could have instituted something of this nature, but before this could be possible I think they would have to be merged into one body. However, perhaps an independent association for drivers would be preferable.
To my idea, the great thing behind it would be better co-operation between the men and their employers, whilst the association could also be representative of drivers in respect of political matters. The question of arrangements for superannuation, etc., could, for the time being, be left; there is plenty of other work for a new body to do.
Each branch would be a good rendezvous for the m'en and operators to meet for discussions, and papers could be given by each side. Possibly, manufacturers could arrange educational evenings on service points. The problem of food on the road could also be under proper supervision„ As a suitable association would be of assistance to operators, _I suggest that these could be posted with the latest news of any developments in its formation, so that they could acquaint their drivers and send to the association offices lists of men who wanki be in favour of joining.
One point I would like to emphasize, and that is any such body should include the drivers Of C-licensed vehicles, When drivers are on the road the fact that their particular employers are in different categories does not affect them. They are all on a transport job and encounter common problems. In fact, I think that the drivers in the C class are in as Much need of an association as those driving vehicles under A and B licences, Their problems are often more difficult, and there is greater need for co-operation between the men and their
employers. • Road transport is really diyided into two principal classes—local and long-distance work,
Cre.nfield. B. PARRIS,
P.S.V. Driver Offers Active
Support for New Body WITH reference to your leader of August 15, should Iry any attempt he made now to get an association going I would like to offer you my support in an. active manner.
I am a p.s.v. driver and have held my badge for four years. At present I am working for a large non-union concern and am the staff representative for the garage, also I am a Junior Associate of the Industrial Transport
Association. A. A. WRIGHT. Southend-on-Sea.
Transport Union Claims to
.0over the Whole irield VOUR article under the heading of "Drivers Must 1 Have an Association" in your issue of August 15 has been read with great interest, but in view of the constitution of this trade union I fail to appreciate how such a fresh association could do other than tend to supplant the usefulness of the Union.
For Your information, we are a purely road-transport organization catering solely for road-transport drivers, mates and assistants, and have keen in existence since 1891.
The cash advantages provided by the rules of the, Association eomprise sickness and accident benefit, natural and accidental death benefit, legal assistance and benevolent-fund grants, in addition to which all cases of workmen's compensation and / or damages at common law arising from employment, are dealt with.
Moreover, the Association is competent to deal with all wages questions, being represented upon the Central and Area Road Haulage Wages Boards, the Laundry Trades Board and other councils which govern, the wages and conditions of employment of road-trAnsport workers.
Many agreements governing transport workers are held with various associations of transport employers in different parts of the country.
The Association is a national 'organization with fulltime Officials in the larger centres, and with part-time branch secretaries and collectors in the smaller places. All the officials have practical knowledge, having worked in • the industry, and are, therefore, well fitted to deal with and advise upon any difkculty which might arise during the course of a driver's employment.
So far as accommodation and food supplies at cafés are concerned, I may say this problem has received my personal attention and investigation, and every step possible is being taken .in an attempt to improve the position for our. men on the roads.
I am sending you a copy of the registered rules of the Association, and shall be pleased to receive any comments you may care to make upon this communication. J. C. FRANCIS, General Secretary,
The United Road Transport Workers' Association IVIancheker, 18. • of England.
rWe have perused with considerable interest the rules published by this trade union. They are certainly most comprehensive, but, as we stated in our leader of August 15, we hope that any new drivers' association will , not materially affect, the position of this or any other union in the industry. The association wthich we envisaged would be more in the nature of a club than of a union. We note that the body of which Mr; Francis is general secretary was founded in 1891, and that it is represented on the majority of committees, etc., dealing with wages and conditions. Despite this however, we receive manycomplaints from drivers as to conditions on • the road, matters affecting them and employers and concerning other subjects of a like nature, and whilst we recognize the influence Of the unions in important matters of policy, we wonder whether they can give the individual attention to more domestic matters that light be afforded by such an association as is suggested. We have no axe to grind in connection with,any side, It is purely a question for the drivers themselves. If they consider something more than the unions be required then we shall be pleased to help, and, naturally, we have no desire to act in any way which might tend to reduce the usefulness of the unions, but there must be quite a number of men who are not members of any such body and who wish for some form of representation.—En.]