'Don't use rail' stories denied by Jack Jones
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REPORTS in the national Press this week that the Transport and General Workers' Union is putting pressure on firms to use road transport rather than switch to rail have been strongly denied by leader of the union Jack Jones.
Reports claimed the railway unions were in possession of a confidential report which stated the TGWU would black any freight switched from road to rail.
Referring to this document, Mr Jones said he would be protesting to British Rail chairman Peter Parker about a statement issued by a BR official that TGWU members had used "industrial muscle" to stop companies using the railways.
No anti-rail lobby existed either nationally or regionally within the union, Mr Jones said.
A statement by the Road Haulage Association said: "Attempts to impose restrictions on the free choice of transport modes, be it by Government or trade unions, are strongly opposed by professional road hauliers."
A spokesman for the Freight Transport Association told CM this week: "We have contacted our members and had no comeback concerning this matter.
"As far as we are concerned, it's all a lot of rumour and no fact."
The National Freight Corporation has also said it can see no evidence to support stories in the Press suggesting the TGWU may have decided to black freight switched to rail.
Cartransport issued a statement following the reports: "Cartransport Ltd rejects the suggestion that its choice of road or rail for freight movement has been influenced by trade union views.
"The reference to the company, in a published story, is attributed to a person who left the company's employ two years ago and does not represent Cat-transport's view of rail movement. The company regularly places part of its business with BR."