Back to the NNC?
Page 40
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The article by John Darker (CM February 19) on wage application is incorrect in the fact that he made the area covered by the "Manchester Agreement" from Staffordshire to Westmorland.
I should point out that Stoke area and parts of east Cheshire come under region 13 of the United Road Transport Union and as such are not part of the Manchester Agreement.
Regarding the re-emergence of the NNC, surely in this enlightened age Mr Darker is not advocating going back to the ridiculous position of the Grade 1 and Grade 2 areas, and the resulting lunatic position where the London roamers operated round the country for three to four days and the grade 2 agricultural. (?) driver spent most of his time round London docks?
Traffic patterns constantly change. One year a firm is scraping the barrel for traffic and then through development grant to its customers it becomes a lifeline to the big industrial areas. Surely the wages for these drivers should be on a par with drivers in the big industrial conurbations.
If the Road Haulage Association desires a Master Freight Contract then I personally would be in favour, but not for the present pittance which hauliers pay for labour. How
ever, it is usually the hauliers that require private and separate agreements applicable to their own particular firms.
A recent agreement sent to me contained a clause regarding unfitness for duty which had been amended to include "Under the influence of drugs" . . an unfortunate sign of the times to my mind, but when an employer is so concerned about moral decadence he should consider it an investment to pay for courses like "the Outward Bound School" for our younger members.
There is nothing of the tit-for-tat attitude in asking for this concession, as it is to my mind an investment for the trades union movement. Perhaps in time, if we educate and characterbuild our-younger members they will refuse to put up with their industry continually being a political football. It would appear from Mr Darker's article that the prospect of enlightened labour in the road haulage industry is so frightening to the employers as to make the Road Haulage Association seek refuge in the Industrial Relations Bill.
JOHN W. STEVENSON. Region 13, United Road Transport Union.
[John Darker writes: Does Mr Stevenson favour the re-establishment of the National Negotiating Committee, as I do? Unless facts are given I am sceptical about trades union generalizations as to "the present pittance which hauliers pay for labour". Has he not heard of drivers earning more than those who control and supervise them; more, even, than many professionally qualified people?
I welcome the news that one agreement seen by Mr Stevenson has a fitness for duty clause concerning drugs. This is very necessary. I know of one case involving the write-off of a new vehicle through the driver being under the influence of drugs.
support education facilities for shop stewards, even in the employer's time. Outward Bound schools, for apprentices and others, are a splendid idea. (Less strenuous mountaineering/sailing holidays are also a tonic for tired businessmen.) Such courses are costly: would Mr Stevenson compel a 70vehicle haulier or small fleet operator to pay for such courses for his "under 2is"?]