• The United Road Transport Union (URN), which has just
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signed a recognition agreement with Scottish firm Whitburn Car Transporters, still believes many traditional hauliers are reluctant to welcome union involvement.
Last week URTU regional officer Chris Dubber met Whitburn managers to sign off the deal after 1701 the firm's 21 drivers asked for union representation, Dubber is optimistic that the management at Whitburn will be "amenable" to working in partnership with the union on pay and conditions. But this is not always the case, says Dubber.
"I have been trying to set up a meeting with a company north of Inverness and have sent two or three letters, but in every case there has been no answer or nobody available. There seems to be an old-fashioned attitude on the part of some companies that 'nobody is running my business'."
He highlights the situation at James Ham & Son where managing director David Ham was forced to recognise the union but then side-stepped union negotiations to impose a pay rise.