Union Racket eering in U.S.
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Q EMUS effects of trade union demands on the United States road transport industry were mentioned by Mr.). A. Dunnage, speaking on "American Transport Problems at a meeting of the' Irrstitute of Traffic Administration, at Manchester, on January 21.
In New York, he said, the trade union was so strong that when lorries came into the area from other districts a city driver was out on board. He did not act as•a pilot, hut merely travelled with the vehicle and drew his pay.
Boston unions were demanding that when a semi-trailer unit of an articulated vehicle was left for loading.at customer's premises, the driver should be paid for the entire period of loading, although he was not present. Some of the drivers' union representatives were nothing short of racketeers who had no personal interest in transport, but were merely agents for forcing up pay by any means within their power.
Describing operating conditions, Mr. Dunnage said that, generally speaking, road transport could economically compete with rail up to distances of about 250 to 300 miles, although certain lines claimed to Operate from Chicago to the West Coast. In some cases, owing to the operation of individual 'state laws, relating to weight and dimensions, goods had to be transhipped to other vehicles at the state boundaries.
By the action of the big road operators A25
some 15 years ago, the haulier had become subject to regulations ghat were very similar to the British licensing scheme. It was extremely difficult to enter the business or to obtain increased tonnage.
In certain parts of the States, bus drivers have to cope with the problem of segregating white and coloured passengers, and they had to use the utmost courtesy in keeping them apart. The general scheme in districts where there was a mixed population was for the white people to fill up the bus from the front rearwards and the coloured people to take seats from the rear forwards.