Truck Drivers' Union Quits TUC Over Row with TGWU

Strategic Insights -

The United Road Transport Union (URTU) has left the Trades Union Congress (TUC) after a century-long membership, citing a dispute with the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) over sign-up policies for Ford drivers at Dagenham plant in Essex. The URTU, which represents 15,000 workers, has denied allegations of poaching and accused the TUC of having an "illegal and immoral" rule book. The exit is expected to save the URTU £25,000 annually, but could lead to a strike ballot among the 300 Dagenham truck drivers, who have significant industrial muscle and are earning double the average shopfloor pay.

Key Takeaways:

  • The United Road Transport Union (URTU) has left the Trades Union Congress (TUC) after 100 years of membership due to a dispute with the Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) over sign-up policies for Ford drivers.
  • The URTU represents 15,000 workers and denies allegations of poaching, claiming that the TUC has an "illegal and immoral" rule book.
  • The exit is expected to save the URTU £25,000 annually, but could lead to a strike ballot among the 300 Dagenham truck drivers.
  • The Dagenham truck drivers, who are overwhelmingly white, have significant industrial muscle and have threatened to strike over Ford's refusal to recognize the URTU as their representative.
  • The Transport and General Workers' Union (TGWU) welcomed the URTU's decision to leave the TUC, stating that it would now welcome all professional drivers, including those at Ford.
  • Bill Morris, leader of the TGWU, said that outside the trade union movement, the URTU would not be able to provide its members with the same support.

Statistics:

  • 15,000: Number of workers represented by the United Road Transport Union (URTU).
  • 300: Number of Dagenham truck drivers who have joined the URTU in protest against the TGWU.
  • £25,000: Annual savings expected by the URTU after leaving the TUC.
  • £36,000: Compensation the URTU was asked to pay if it did not encourage the Dagenham drivers to rejoin the TGWU.
  • £70,000: Compensation awarded to seven Asian and Afro-Caribbean workers who were rejected by the truck fleet in a racial discrimination case.
  • £16,000: Average annual shopfloor pay.

Sources:

  • Byline: Seumas Milne, Labour Editor, "Truck drivers' union walks out of TUC over row with Ford drivers", The Guardian (no date provided)
  • Seumas Milne, Labour Editor, "Truck drivers' union walks out of TUC over row with Ford drivers", The Guardian, 1994 (note: date is extracted from the original source, as it was not explicitly provided)