URTU fights against WTD night-work loophole
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THE UNITED ROAD Transport Union has met with transport minister Mike Penning and urged him to support its campaign to stop companies legally dismissing new drivers if they complain about breaching Working Time Regulations.
The legal loophole came to the union's attention last year following an employment tribunal hearing.
Currently, a company can request that a driver employed for less than a year complies with its wishes to work more than 10 hours during a night shift, without it first getting agreement from staff or a union.
But URTU has discovered that this also means that new employees are not protected from unfair dismissal under the Road Transport (Working Tirne) regulations if they refuse or complain (CM 22 July 2009).
URTU general secretary Bob Monks met with the previous transport minister (Sadiq Khan) in March and convinced him to introduce legislation that protects all drivers. A formal consultation was due but the change in government derailed the plans, However, Monks says that following a meeting with Penning on 13 October the issue is back on the government's agenda after he gained assurance that earlier coinmitments would be honoured.