HTS claims dock breakthrough with new SLIC depot
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• Lord Aldington, chairman of the PLA, and Mr Jack Jones, general secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union, joint authors of the report on registered dock labour published on July 25, together opened a new container clearance depot at Surrey Docks, London, yesterday.
The depot is run by South London Inland Clearance and is owned by HTS. It will employ 22 dockers and four dock clerks — all registered dock labour. Mr James McNaughton, managing director of HTS Ltd, told CM that -there has been no opposition from drivers or warehousmen to the employment of dock labour although this was a complete reversal of the company's earlier policy.
"This is a breakthrough in the historical antagonism which exists between the dockers and drivers," Mr McNaughton told CM. "If we at HTS can do it, it can be done throughout the country."
Mr McNaughton said he realised that the scheme did not have the approval of the RHA and that it had been discussed by the Metropolitan and South Eastern area of the Association, of which HTS is a member. He said it was company policy to acknowledge the Jones-Aldington report and he was sure that this was a breakthrough for better working arrangements in container ports.
SLIC will handle 50 to 60 import containers each week in an area which provides 50,000 sq ft of covered warehousing and will provide 24hr clearance.