BP relieves pressure on drivers
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hy Karen Miles • BP is restructuring the work rate of its tanker drivers in a move that will have important effects for its transport contractors.
From the beginning of this month BP's 160 inhouse drivers will have a guaranteed continuous break of at least 12 hours in every 24-hour period. They will also be subject to lower hourly mileage targets.
BP's contractors, which include United Transport and Wincanton, will also have to reduce the workload of the hundreds of drivers they employ on their BP contracts.
In general running times will be extended by 512%—for example, within London's North and South Circular roads drivers will have to cover 14 miles each hour instead of 16.
Transport and General Workers' Union national secretary Danny Bryan calls the deal a "major shift in the industry in terms of running times. .it was totally unrealistic that schedules fixed a decade ago were suitable for today's congested roads," he adds.
The union wants to strike similar agreement with the other oil companies, although it does not expect to make any progress with Esso and Shell—both companies have derecognised the TGWU for the purpose of collective bargaining.
The moves follows a meeting last month in Grays, Essex where 450 tanker drivers from all the major oil companies threatened to hold a strike ballot unless their employers made concessions.