Euro unions fight hours la Karen Miles • Road transport
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unions across Europe are uniting in a campaign to reduce drivers' hours. They plan to concentrate on the social and safety benefits of shorter working time.
The Brussels Road Transport Committee is a pan-European transport union discussion body, which includes the Transport and General Workers Union. It will meet in Brussels next month to plan its strategy before asking new EC Transport Commissioner Abel Matutes for a meeting on the issue.
Employers will also be approached to discuss the proposed hours reductions.
The unions believe transport should not be penalised for being left out of EC plans to introduce the Working Time Directive, which will limit the working week to 48 hours.
Concerns over the level of law breaking under the present drivers' hours limits are thought to be so serious that the Commission will listen, despite the recent EC White Paper on transport which says there must be simplification of drivers' hours rules with the introduction of electronic tachographs before working time can be reduced.
TGWU road transport commercial national secretary John Moore says: "It's unacceptable that drivers can work for up to 15 hours a day in what is a very stressful occupation. It presents a threat to health and safety... we will be seeking to convince employers and the Commission that there need to be changes."
He adds: "Transport has been excluded from the Working Time Directive, but we believe that our workers cannot be excluded from its philosophy. If the public was aware of how some of their loads move around with drivers driving very long hours then they would be very concerned."