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Model letter
Rt Hon Alastair Darling MP
Secretary of State for Transport
Department for Transport
Great Minster House
76 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DR
Dear Alastair Darling,
WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ROAD TRANSPORT WORKERS
As you will be aware road transport drivers in both the bus and road
haulage industries play a vital role in the UK economy. I hope you will
agree that it is essential these workers are treated fairly and have
the right to work in a safe working environment.
In this respect I am very concerned that the UK Government has yet
to ratify the International Labour Organisation Convention 153. This
was adopted in 1979 and concerns hours of work and rest periods in
road transport. The main clauses of the Convention state that:
•
Every driver is entitled to a break after 4 hours continuous
driving or after 5 hours continuous work.
•
The maximum daily total driving time should not exceed 9
hours.
•
The maximum weekly driving time should not exceed 48 hours.
•
The daily rest period must never be less than 8 consecutive
hours.
I would be grateful if you could confirm that the UK Government will
be signing and implementing ILO Convention 153 at the earliest
possible opportunity. I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely
RMTnews :: october 2005
14
TURKISH SISTERS DROP IN
Turkish women delegates to an International Transport
Federation conference in London visited RMT offices recently
and held discussions with general secretary Bob Crow. The
women, Soner Önal and Aysen Dönmez (above) were
representing Turkish rail union BTS.
“This exchange of information has made it clear to us that we
are your sister union and we can work in cooperation and
solidarity,” said Soner.
R
MT has marked this year’s
worldwide International
Road Transport action week by
urging members to write to their
MPs and to the transport
secretary Alistair Darling to
demand that the government
signs up to International Labour
Organisation (ILO) convention
153.
This convention was adopted
in 1979 and concerns hours of
work and rest periods in road
transport. Members are urged to
ask their MPs to sign up to
early day motion 724 (below)
and send the model letter
(below).
Fatigue is a growing health
and safety concern for the road
transport sector. It is a
workplace hazard that is the
main cause of thousands of road
transport accidents and fatalities
each year. Although fatigue
cannot always be avoided, it
can be better managed.
All over the world road
transport workers will be using
the campaign to highlight their
concerns and more information
regarding the various campaigns
can be found by visiting
www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/ro
ad.cfm
Remember you can play a
crucial role in developing and
implementing policies which
could improve working
conditions for drivers and make
the roads safer.
EDM 724
WORKING CONDITIONS FOR ROAD
TRANSPORT WORKERS
John McDonnell MP
That this House pays tribute to the
vital role road transport workers in
both the bus and road haulage
industries play in the UK economy;
believes it is essential that these
workers are treated fairly and have
the right to work in a safe working
environment; is deeply concerned
that the UK Government has yet to
ratify ILO Convention 153, which
regulates rest periods, driving times
and the working week; welcomes the
International Transport Workers
Federation Campaign in support of
road transport workers worldwide;
and urges Her Majesty's Government
to sign and implement ILO
Convention 153 at the earliest
possible opportunity.
ORGANISING GLOBALLY
BUILDINGUNIONPOWER
International Road Transport Action Week
www.itfglobal.org
10-16
OCTOBER
2005
FATIGUE
KILLS
ORGANISING GLOBALLY–
BUILDING UNION POWER