ROAD FREIGHT CONFERENCE

RMTnews :: may 2006 :: www.rmt.org.uk 20 A determined effort is required to bring on newly organised depots and reps in RMT’s road- freight sector, delegates at the grades’ conference heard last month. This year’s smaller turnout did not reflect the tremendous amount being achieved, noted senior assistant general secretary Mick Cash (right). A growing number of good and active reps were winning advances for members, and a number of pace-setting pay deals had been won – not least following a hard-fought and 100 per cent solid strike at Freightliner last year An ahead-of-inflation deal had also been won at Lynx Express, although there remained concern following the company’s buy-out by UPS. However, the fragmented nature of the industry made it essential to build and consolidate organisation, train more reps and boost attendance at conference – not least from companies like Wincanton, where there was good organisation and a network of reps. Membership at City Link was also increasing once more and, following last year’s industrial action, the union had got the company to negotiate seriously on pay. Mick pointed to the union’s sound financial base, growing membership and soon-to-be- opened education centre in Doncaster as evidence of a specialist transport trade union building on a solid foundation. Despite the low conference turnout, president Pete Daniels noted that the union’s membership was also growing once more at Lynx Express, including among clerical grades. “It is a long, uphill struggle, but we’re getting there,” he said. The hard struggle at Freightliner had resulted in a serious boost in pay, reported delegate Maurice Hamilton, Leeds Goods and Cartage, and the company’s attempt to run down the road fleet had now been reversed, with 48 new road vehicles on order. Progress had been made in harmonising some of the myriad terms and conditions, and a more national structure was returning to the company. “There is no shortage of activity, but that needs to be reflected in a growing conference,” noted outgoing secretary Alan Tunnicliffe. The conference was an essential forum for road-freight members to compare experiences, he said, adding that RMT News should be used more widely to ensure that advances made locally were publicised. Delegates asked the executive to establish with employers a clear understanding of exactly what was meant by ‘periods of availability’ under the working- time directive, in order to help prevent abuses, and resolved to place the matter before the annual general meeting. The directive was supposed to have improved the lot of drivers, said Trevor Howard, Leeds Goods and Cartage, but he feared that many drivers would lose out thanks to confusion following its introduction. Drivers were still not being paid for all rest and meal breaks when they were in charge of a vehicle outside the depot. “This is a battle that has been going on for 30 years, and we need to nail it once and for all,” said Alan Carter, Swansea. Conference called on the executive to work to ensure that all such meal breaks were paid, Road freight conference 2006 ORGANISATION THE KEY FOR ROAD-FREIGHT ADVANCE Delegates rolled up their sleeves and got down to the business of consolidating organisation at last month’s road-freight grades’ conference in Gloucester