Owner-driver wins a better Redland deal
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• by David Craik A Welsh owner-driver who claims he is struggling to survive working for Redland Distribution's Independent Contract Hader Scheme has won "significant financial concessions" after a meeting with Redland bosses.
Mike Miller, who works out of Redland's Taffs Well depot, says that Redland called him to a meeting last Thursday after his concerns over bad rates and lack of profitable backloading opportunities were highlighted in CM(1-7 April).
Redland told him rates would not be increased in the near future due to the current haulage climate, but Miller says: "I was told they would ensure that hauliers working with them would not run as many empty miles by improving our continuity of work."
Redland also promised him it would help transfer one of his vehicles, currently left idle due to lack of work on the Redland contract, over to another company's contract.
"I am quite happy with the results of the meeting," Miller says. "I think they have acted in a decisive manner since my and others' concerns were raised."
Concerns over the Independent Contract Haulier Scheme were first raised at Redland's Thrislington depot in County Durham.
Hauliers claimed they had been left penniless after receiving as little as 2250 for a 460mile round trip working out of Hafod Quarry in South Wales ( C4418-24 Feb).