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Page 21
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With the driver shortage estimated at 80,000 by some sources, and only set to rise with the introduction of the 48hr-week of the Working Time Directive, I would like to welcome the employment of East European or other asylurn seekers to fill the driver shortage.
It's somewhat ironic that the road haulage industry moves goods throughout the UK, Europe and beyond, yet when some people also try to access the freedom of movement that goods have, they are denied.
The problems within the UK haulage industry are well documented: poor wages, long hours, lack of training and poor driver esteem. The damage is not being done by some foreign influx but by the greed of our own bosses. Several well known firms earn the directors a handsome fortune of £60m plus!
Some UK employers are already using East European drivers, but paying them at lower rates of pay to boost profits. Drivers, irrespective of where they are from or what colour they are, should be paid the same rate for the same job and the unions should fight to ensure that this happens.
The money is there to pay drivers a decent wage—only by drivers uniting, regardless whether they are British, French or Bulgarian, will we achieve the decent wage rate that we all deserve.
After all, everything modern society uses and needs is at some point transported on a lorry.
David McKay, (socialist truck driver), London.