Editorial TUC should pay
Page 2
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THE MEASURE of success of Wednesday's day of inactivity called by the TUC will be interpreted, by the parties involved and affected by it, differently. What can be said is that no one will benefit.
We do not know how many drivers responded to the call but we can be sure that however strong the response was it should not alter the Government's stance on its pay offer to NHS workers. This would be a climb down and open the flood gates for excessive pay claims.
Those who obeyed the call will almost certainly find they have a short pay next week. Indeed the only people not to be affected will be the trades union officers. They were not on strike.
Road haulage employers have always had a good relationship with their staffs. Financial problems have usually been overcome, on a company basis, amicably. This time it could be different with strained relationships resulting.
Why should employers pay a fair day's wages for no work? Why should they give support to the TUC?
If the reason for the dispute was solidarity with NHS employees, could not the TUC have levied its members one day's pay and passed that on to its NHS members? That would have won admiration and improved the lot of those genuinely in dispute.
Neither the country nor the employers should have to suffer financially for this piece of TUC political folly.