Row hits training plan
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• A row between the Road Haulage Association and Freight Transport Association over voting rights is threatening to suffocate the new road haulage training council at birth.
David Scott, chief executive of the Road Haulage Industry Training Standards Council, warns: "the charitable status of the new training council and its programme could be jeopardised unless the dispute is resolved."
The row centres on the RHA's refusal to drop its demand for a one-seat majority on the board of the new body, which will be called the Road Haulage and Distribution Training Council. "Professional employers in the industry should retain a majority," says Rod Jenkins, manager of employment affairs at the RHA. "The FTA does not represent employers directly involved with haulage but the users of transport."
There is resentment that historically RHA members paid a levy to the RTITB while FTA members paid to training boards within different industry sectors. "If the FTA decides not to participate, the council will stand. But, if we don't it will fall," says Jenkins.
FTA director-general, Garry Tunrey says: "Forget the past and the fact our members paid a levy to different boards, Our argument is in setting standards — we need to look to the future." RHITSC chairman Victor Ross is attempting to bring both sides to the negotiating table before Christmas.