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How the other half lives

4th August 1994, Page 34
4th August 1994
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

Women make up more than half the population and in many service industries they are more likely to be employed than men. But in the male. dominated world of road haulage women's presence has still to be felt in significant numbers, according to an exclusive CM survey of small, medium and large fleets.

Our survey reveals that across the industry women constitute less than 9% of the total workforce and their employment is heavily weighted toward the traditional occupations of secretarial/clerical roles (described in our survey as admin staff).

Women are twice as likely to be in a senior role in smaller firms, usually as a partner in a husband and wife management team or otherwise related to the founder as a daughter, sister or daughter-in-law.

As for women drivers, our survey suggests that their numbers fall a long way short of 1% of the industry's driving population— accounting for fewer than 4,000 jobs out of more than 400,000 LGVs on UK roads. It is not uncommon for women with LGV licences to end up in the typing pool despite their driving skills. Many companies said they would employ fully qualified women drivers but were rarely approached. Perhaps this is where the problem lies: women are much , more likely to have to stand the cost of i training themselves than men who want to z be drivers. Others may fear joining a sector

of an industry so overwhelmingly dominated t.., by men—it can't be easy being the only 7 woman at a truckstop.

oz However we did find six women who have r made it over the hurdles to forge successful itcareers in all sections of the industry from z

z fitter to truck driver to director. Their < 3 profiles are included as examples of what can be achieved, despite the industry's '22continuing male dominance.

II THE DIRECTOR

ANN PEDDER EXEL LOGISTICS AND BRS BEDFORD

W:iile a cynical haulier might be expected to be scornful of a woman in charge of a fleet of trucks, even the most hard-nosed operator might concede a certain logic in allowing a woman control of the buying power.

Enter Ann Pedder, newly appointed director of procurement at the technical services team within NFC's merged Exel Logistics and BRS operations. She is a woman with a firm hand on the purse strings at one of the top 100 companies quoted on the UK stockmarket. Her responsibility for purchasing extends from elastic bands to trucks.

Advantages

"I have found there are advantages in this particular job as a buyer," she says. "Sometimes people will be a bit more open to you in a negotiation. It may be of benefit in terms of getting better terms and conditions or just more information."

She points out that women can find more obstacles to a chosen career path whatever the industry: "I didn't want to go to university, I decided to make my way through industry. I did a business studies degree and there were 80 people on the course. Most of the men had sponsors. Only four of the women did."

Although in a position to raise the profile of women in senior transport roles, she fears that too many are wary of the industry because of the traditional male bias: "I've just advertised for two strategic procurement managers," she says. "Although we didn't name the company, it was clearly a logistics company. We had a large response but hardly any women."

Potential

She doesn't see any reason why women should be put off. "I didn't take this job because I saw it as a transport company, but because I saw it as a job with potential." Although Pedder says joining the company was a bit of a gamble, she did not see it as a greater risk than accepting a senior post in any other industry.

"There is nothing to show that men are better at particular jobs than women, or vice versa. If you want the best person to do the job but exclude women from the choice, you could be missing out," she says.

However, she does feel more is expected of a woman: "I am qualified to do the job, with the right degree and I am a member of the right institute, and yes I do feel I have to work harder. But you have to keep it in perspective. You can have someone who works long hours and does not produce a lot. It should be a matter of what you produce regardless of what you are."

She began her career with a heavy engineering company, and she says it was every bit as dominated by men as the transport industry. While earning the respect of colleagues is vital, it's also important that the company itself has the right approach: "I've had no negative responses here," she says, "and I have a very distinct understanding that I will be measured by my performance. What I am doesn't really matter, which is admirable from the company's point of view."

LI by Steve McQueen

0 THE FLEET MANAGER

JO-ANN DAY ROYAL MAIL EPSOM, SURREY \ EPSOM, SURREY \

-ew Zealander Jo-Ann Day got into the transport industry by rising to a challenge. She arrived in

... the UK the day before the Royal Wedding in 1981 for a six-month stay. While she was working as a secretary to a transport manager, a driver bet her she couldn't pass her CPC.

She studied for it and passed in a month: "I saw it as a job opportunity. The interesting thing about road transport is that it is constantly changing in terms of vehicle design, technology, and customer needs. It's varied and keeps me on my toes," She is divisional fleet manager for Royal Mail South East, a position she has held for two years and won in the face of stiff competition. Before that she was one of nine district transport managers, whose jobs were amalgamated into hers.

Day is responsible for the cradle-to-grave care of 3,000 vehicles, including 600 artic... She oversees 180 depots and 200 staff. The 2,400 vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes are mainly Ford Escort and Leyland vans, although a 110. number of Vauxhall Combos and Ford Couriers are currently on trial. In a typical day she might meet the trade union representatives to discuss a code of practice for driving standards: "I feel some responsibility for our drivers and the impact they have on our customers and the environment,' she says.

Or she might coach her staff on policy changes through which the Royal Mail is currently steering its business. These include computerised stores management, standard maintenance times, profit-and-loss accounting and the possibility of contracting out maintenance work. She is also charged with the task of reducing the number of workshops from 12 to nine over the next few years by combining five and adding two.

Determination

Day has drive and determination and a strong desire to succeed: "We've got a short timescale to achieve change and some employees say they need more time. I say we haven't got time for failure or learning curves. I'm not accepting excuses."

Royal Mail is an equal opportunities employer with an open resourcing policy which means that anyone, from postman to director, can apply for the same job. But does she think women have to by harder to get to the same positions as men? "All women work harder," says Day. "Whether it's the pressure of the work environment or whether it's pressure placed on oneself, they do tend to work harder to achieve the same thing and once you've won the respect of colleagues, you tend not to lose it."

Girlie calendars and a male dominated environment mean that workshops can be notoriously sexist environments. "I don't think about comments and wolf whistles," says Day. "I don't think they're sexist and I'm not insulted or intimidated by them, sometimes it's good for the ego! Anyway Royal Mail has strict rules on comments and girlie calenders."

Being honest is vital to Day in taking her workforce through the required changes: "Negotiation is the art of compromise," she says. "There's a penalty for everything you do. It's not necessarily called getting your own way—you've got to convince someone that change is in the interests of the business." She is keen to be involved in helping to drive Royal Mail forward and would one day like to be closer to the customer, on the operational side of the business.

But the challenge of road transport is likely to keep her: "There's something different about road transport. Legislation is constantly being updated; it's keeping abreast of that and moving forward that challenges me."

I by Micky Clarke

II THE AGENCY BOSS JANET WILLIAMS

JJ HAULAGE SHREWSBURY

Ask Janet Williams what prompted her to set up her own driver agency business and she does not hesitate: "My boss was the ultimate male chauvinist pig. He thought the business only came in through the door because I showed a leg," she says.

"I was adamant nobody would get the chance to treat me like that again," she recalls. "I'd drive up to Glasgow for a meeting and sometimes he wouldn't even bother to turn up." Janet set up JJ Haulage in Shrewsbury four years ago with her husband HeFin who is principal driver. With companies such as Esso, Iceland Frozen Foods and Wincanton as customers, as well as supplying independent hauliers like WH Bowker, she can argue that the business is now well established. Last year its turnover topped 21m for the first time.

She believes her attention to personal detail is one of the keys to the success of the business, and something which as a woman she can turn to her advantage: "If there is a problem which a driver or customer is reluctant to reveal, I think a woman has a better chance of bringing it out. I think I can sometimes get away with more searching questions than a man could in a similar situation," she says. Acceptance as a woman boss in a male dominated industry had its early problems: "At first the men don't take you seriously until you gain their confidence," she says. "Mind you, its harder to get the confidence of other women who tend to put barriers up. That's possibly because they've had the same treatment from men."

There are 36 full-time drivers based at Shrewsbury and 10 part-timers. A further four full-time drivers and six part-timers operate in Chester. The office is staffed by two other women. "I have employed men in the office, but on the whole I've Found the women more flexible minded," says Williams.

She believes in being straight with customers and drivers, but adds that she is not afraid to listen to them. "My drivers know more about life on the road than I do, although I can drive a truck. I'm not worried about consulting with them if there is a specialised load going somewhere."

Driver selection is critical to the business, and while she does not think women have a disadvantage recruiting male drivers there are some aspects of the selection process that a man in the job might not have to consider. For example, business is sourced from a wide area including Queensferry and Deeside, down as for as Worcester and Chester.

"At one time we tried interviewing at hotels in Chester but they were not sympathetic to our needs," she explains. "We wanted an area with frontage, not interviewing people I had never met in a back room or up three flights of stairs. If a problem did develop, no-one could hear anything. It was potentially dangerous." The problem has since been solved in a straightforward way: "If they've got the enthusiasm for the job they can spare a day to come down and see me," she says.

Li by Steve McQueen

• II THE TRUCK MECHANIC LIZ GILBEE TRANSFLEET SERVICES LONDON

T.,iz Gilbee has had more than her share of chauvinism to contend with in her quest to become a fully trained truck fitter. In her first stint of work experience, aged 15, the mechanic she was assigned to work with refused to talk to her. And in a later job, with a car dealer/garage, customers, who could see the work area from the reception, often said they did not want "the girl" working on their vehicle.

Now, at 21, she is a semi-skilled fitter and the first woman in Transfleet Services' Park Royal workshop in North London. She gets on well with her four male colleagues, with whom she shares a 19:00-07:00hrs night shift four times a week, and is keen to be treated as "one of the lads".

But she still has to put up with the usual jokes about sharing showers and loos. Gilbee's response has been to take on the boys at their own game, and it's usually worked. Once, tired of her workmates' jibes, she began to strip off in the shower room in front of one of them. Embarrassed, he beat a hasty exit.

"I just wanted to show them that I have more bottle than them," says Gilbee, "they would never have dared to do that." Despite a lot of inherent sexism in the industry, women are gaining a foothold in the commercial vehicle workshop as well as behind the wheel. Statistics do not reveal how many of the country's 250,000 fitters and semi-skilled fitters are female, but it is estimated that in the West Midlands, for example, the figure might be as high as 5%. And because of the design of modern trucks and workshops, this is a career that is likely to attract more and more women in the coming decade, according to training organisation, RTITB Services, (RSL).

"Ladies are finding that they are physically capable of doing the job, because a lot of the problems they may have encountered in the past like lifting heavy engines have been taken away by modern lifting equipment," says RSL senior technical trainer Tony Ray.

Gilbee admits lack of muscle can be a problem occasionally. She still needs help changing a clutch on a vehicle larger than a 7.5-tonner, for example.

But she believes that commitment and know-how are more important than brute strength. To illustrate this, she has striven to bolster her CV with extra qualifications. Although she only needed to successfully complete a City and Guilds course, she has earned nine 0-levels, an HNC and a BTEC in motor vehicle engineering. Her next ambition is to pass her LGV test and qualify as a fully-fledged fitter by next April.

0 by Juliet Parish


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