‘We’re telling the public, now is the time to stand up and do something – go to a forecourt, a roundabout, a depot – and do something.‘Now is the time to make your voice heard. This is a democracy.'
THE NEWSLINE
http://www.wrp.org.uk/news/7411 Monday, 2 April 2012‘Thousands will back tanker drivers!’PEOPLE'S fuel lobby leader Andrew Spence yesterday said: ‘Thousands will back a Unite tanker driver members strike’.
He told News Line: ‘It’s not just truck drivers, it’s taxi drivers, coach drivers and members of the public.
‘If you go to any forecourt people will tell you that fuel is too dear, they can’t afford it and something has to be done.
‘We’re telling the public, now is the time to stand up and do something – go to a forecourt, a roundabout, a depot – and do something.
‘Now is the time to make your voice heard. This is a democracy.
‘The government is putting up fuel duty by three per cent in August. It went up by five pence a litre last week – one place was charging £1.61 per litre, we’re heading for £2 a litre very quickly.’
Lorry driver Joe Givain said: ‘I’ve spoken to a number of tanker drivers and they are not happy with the hours and general working conditions.
‘Drivers are feeling this in every industry. They always get the short end of the stick.
‘After the government made the decision to announce “fill up your cars and jerrycans” they lifted the drivers’ hours limit so they could get fuel to the pumps.
‘It’s alright to lift sanctions when this government gets it wrong but they won’t lift them for drivers who want overtime to put bread on the table.
‘Most drivers will support the tanker drivers.
‘Fuel prices have been going up. We’re all disgruntled.
‘If the tanker drivers win it opens the door for the rest of us.’
Haulier Carl Green of King’s Lynn said: ‘Suppliers have already put prices up this week.
‘The government needs to come down on the suppliers not the tanker drivers.
‘They want to charge what they like.
‘Why can’t the government tell fuel suppliers they can only sell fuel at a set price.
‘I’ve got my own tank. The price I’m charged varies from week to week.
‘We back the tanker drivers. If they strike, every haulage driver should strike the week after.
‘We don’t want to hurt the public.
‘We should stop for a week. That would bring the country to a halt and force the government to give us a rebate.’
Showing posts with label trade union. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trade union. Show all posts
Monday, 2 April 2012
Monday, 26 March 2012
UK FUEL TANKER DRIVER DISPUTE: NO ARMY STRIKEBREAKING! - Stop Brit Forces Scabbing On Our Struggles
SOLDIERS ARE SCABS. If you join the British Army you are a total tool. A tool for government and for big business. A tool that kills kids overseas, and scabs on working-class struggle at home. Don't be a tool.
- The REAL Scottish Defence League
Monday, 26 March 2012NO ARMY STRIKEBREAKING!
(SOURCE: THE NEWSLINE)
Army drivers are being trained as strikebreakers in the event of a national tanker drivers strike which is expected to be called this week, Cabinet Secretary Maude revealed yesterday.
The result of a Unite ballot of its 2,000 tanker driver members is due to be announced today and in response to an anticipated overwhelming YES vote, strike action ahead of and over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend is widely expected.
Unite says there have been ‘unrelenting attacks’ on drivers’ terms and conditions and the strike could begin as early as April 3rd.
The 2,000 drivers being balloted account for 90 per cent of those supplying petrol to UK forecourts.
Maude said the strikebreaking ‘training’ will begin this week as part of contingency plans being drawn up to ‘avoid major disruption to fuel supplies’.
Responding to the government threats, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said yesterday: ‘For over a year we’ve been desperately trying to bring about some stability in the sector and urging government ministers to persuade contractors and oil companies to engage in meaningful discussions with us.
‘Unfortunately it’s proving difficult to get them to respond. That leads to frustration as workers feel that no one is listening to them.
‘We’ll need to analyse the turnout and feeling of members before deciding whether to take any industrial action, but we always hope that negotiations can resolve the situation.’
Announcing the ballot last month, Unite stressed that ‘the vote is not about pay but is about establishing a forum to agree industry-wide best practice on safety, training and terms and conditions in order to stabilise a nationally vital industry.
‘The union’s attempts to progress the forum have been thwarted by employers’ unrelenting attacks on drivers’ terms and conditions.
‘Tanker drivers work in an increasingly fragmented, pressurised industry with concerns building that corners are being cut on safety and training in a bid to squeeze profits and win contracts.
‘Drivers face growing job insecurity as a result of the contract merry-go-round and a “beat the clock” culture has flourished with drivers forced to meet ever shorter delivery deadlines.
‘Final salary pension schemes have been swapped for inferior money purchase schemes, and some workers are now on their sixth pension in as many years with 10 to 15 years left to go in the industry.’
Cabinet Office minister Maude said the government has ‘learnt the lessons’ of the fuel blockades of 2000, which brought the country to a standstill and stood ‘ready to act’ in case of a strike.
Maude said: ‘Although we are pushing for an agreement, we have learnt the lessons of the past and stand ready to act to minimise disruption to motorists, to industry and, in particular, to our emergency services, in the event of a strike.’
ATUA National Secretary Dave Wiltshire said: ‘Any attempt at army strikebreaking must be met by the TUC calling a general strike.’
- The REAL Scottish Defence League
Monday, 26 March 2012NO ARMY STRIKEBREAKING!
 |
| Fuel protest convoy arriving in London in the year 2000 – the government is planning to use the army against a tanker drivers strike next month |
Army drivers are being trained as strikebreakers in the event of a national tanker drivers strike which is expected to be called this week, Cabinet Secretary Maude revealed yesterday.
The result of a Unite ballot of its 2,000 tanker driver members is due to be announced today and in response to an anticipated overwhelming YES vote, strike action ahead of and over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend is widely expected.
Unite says there have been ‘unrelenting attacks’ on drivers’ terms and conditions and the strike could begin as early as April 3rd.
The 2,000 drivers being balloted account for 90 per cent of those supplying petrol to UK forecourts.
Maude said the strikebreaking ‘training’ will begin this week as part of contingency plans being drawn up to ‘avoid major disruption to fuel supplies’.
Responding to the government threats, Unite general secretary Len McCluskey said yesterday: ‘For over a year we’ve been desperately trying to bring about some stability in the sector and urging government ministers to persuade contractors and oil companies to engage in meaningful discussions with us.
‘Unfortunately it’s proving difficult to get them to respond. That leads to frustration as workers feel that no one is listening to them.
‘We’ll need to analyse the turnout and feeling of members before deciding whether to take any industrial action, but we always hope that negotiations can resolve the situation.’
Announcing the ballot last month, Unite stressed that ‘the vote is not about pay but is about establishing a forum to agree industry-wide best practice on safety, training and terms and conditions in order to stabilise a nationally vital industry.
‘The union’s attempts to progress the forum have been thwarted by employers’ unrelenting attacks on drivers’ terms and conditions.
‘Tanker drivers work in an increasingly fragmented, pressurised industry with concerns building that corners are being cut on safety and training in a bid to squeeze profits and win contracts.
‘Drivers face growing job insecurity as a result of the contract merry-go-round and a “beat the clock” culture has flourished with drivers forced to meet ever shorter delivery deadlines.
‘Final salary pension schemes have been swapped for inferior money purchase schemes, and some workers are now on their sixth pension in as many years with 10 to 15 years left to go in the industry.’
Cabinet Office minister Maude said the government has ‘learnt the lessons’ of the fuel blockades of 2000, which brought the country to a standstill and stood ‘ready to act’ in case of a strike.
Maude said: ‘Although we are pushing for an agreement, we have learnt the lessons of the past and stand ready to act to minimise disruption to motorists, to industry and, in particular, to our emergency services, in the event of a strike.’
ATUA National Secretary Dave Wiltshire said: ‘Any attempt at army strikebreaking must be met by the TUC calling a general strike.’
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