Action threat hits Linkman
Page 12
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by Juliet Parish • Linkman Tankers faces the threat of industrial action at Purfleet after a conciliation body failed to resolve a year-long battle to impose conditions which unions fear would cut drivers' wages by up to £40a week
Last week ACAS was called in to settle the dispute affecting 26 drivers at Essex. But the Transport Development Group subsidiary refuses to backdown on an offer which drivers rejected in July.
Under its proposal it is believed most of the drivers would receive L151.50 instead of £141.07 for a 40hour basic week. But this rise would be cancelled by a reduction in the amount of time for which the company would pay drivers, for loading or tipping, and an alteration to the mileage divisor meaning drivers have to travel 501cm (31 miles) to get the same
money for 431cm (27 miles), say the unions.
"To make the same levels of income they must have an increase in pmductivity," says the Transport & General Workers Union district officer Ian McKillop. He says there is no indication there will be extra work.
The United Road Transport Union fears the conditions would pressurize the chemical and oil goods drivers into trying to cover more work in the same time "They would be chasing times and miles with some very dangerous cargoes," says regional officer Mel Thornton.
He is confident the drivers, who want a 2% increase on basic pay, will vote to ballot for industrial action at a union meeting on 12 November "We're talking about some guys who have not had a pay rise for three years,"