Hauliers lead Soton peace bid
Page 4
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
)3, CM reporter AGREEMENT now being taken the initiative in suggest inalised between the TGWU [rivers' and dockers' branches aimed at bringing industrial leace to the port of Southampon. It involves a drivers' shop teward being permanently vailable in the port to liaise vith dockers' shop stewards in irder to ensure that disputes viii not bring the port to a tandstill in the future.
An uneasy peace has reigned .t Southampton for some time see CM June 6). Two weeks go a lightning strike over a Who does what?" dispute beween drivers and dockers hit auliers in the area bringing vork completely to a standstill.
As a result, hauliers have ing that closer liaison between the union branches might help to prevent such occurrences.
Details have still to be ironed out, such as who will pay the wages of the drivers' shop steward and what are the precise definitions of dockers and drivers' work?
Two hauliers have volunteered to pay the drivers' shop stewards' wages for two months each till final agreement is reached. In the circumstances, shop steward Bert Chant is temporarily liaising with the dockers' stewards for an interim period of two months. In the meantime, an agreement is being operated which lays down in broad outline that shunting is dock work and that straightforward driving is to be undertaken by hauliers' drivers.
The scheme will need goodwill on all sides, however. One haulier, who did not wish to be identified, told CM on Monday that a disputes procedure had been hammered out after the stoppage which preceded the strike last week but one.
Concerning the last incident, however, the first intimation that he had had that anything was wrong was on Monday morning, following a union meeting the day before, when he was told that •his drivers were on strike. The dispute procedure had been completely ignored.
Under the agreement at present being discussed, suggestions that there should be a driver registration scheme similar to that which applies at Hull and that each incident should be treated in isolation on its merits will be considered.
The effect of the latter will be that if a dispute arises, the rest of the vehicles in the docks will be able to be operated as normal while the contentious points are cleared up.
Drivers from outside the area who unwittingly transgress the local agreements will be asked to contact the drivers' steward so that he can adjudicate.