Them and us to and fro
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IS THERE SCOPE in road haulage for a productive conference of employers and employees similar to one held in the dairy industry? Both industries have economic problems compounded by politics and what is good for one should in theory be helpful to the other. The idea of the two-day conference in the dairy industry, as a prelude to wage negotiations, came from Jack Ashwell, of the Transport and General Workers' Union, and the event, reported to have been a great success, was organised by the employers. Jack recommends other industries to follow suit.
According to my recollections, the contributions by trade-union leaders to Road Haulage Association conferences have been less than profound. Alex Kitson, of the TGWU, was a good knockabout turn at the association's conference at Aviemore in 1969 but was able to offer little except abuse for his hosts.
Jackson Moore, of the United Road Transport Union, who addressed a tipper convention at Harrogate, was another uncompromising "them and usman but lacked entertainment value.
The unions' cavalier treatment of the Road Haulage Wages Council during its last years also did nothing for industrial relations. Neither did their reneging on a scheme to deal with income tax on drivers' subsistence allowance.
Jack Ashwell would have to produce convincing evidence of a wish to co-operate with employers before they gave their time and money to a joint conference.