New industry lobby group United Drivers pledges to get in the face of government and other decision-makers and represent only the needs of professional drivers
The formation of a new industry lobby group might appear to be overkill in a market where trade associations and trade unions abound, but United Drivers says it is the only one working 100% for drivers.
“United Drivers is about changing the way drivers are treated,” says its spokesman, Joe Valentine. “We are not a trade association, we are not a union, we are not militant. We want to work with other trade bodies and operators to improve haulage but from a professional driver’s point of view.”
Born out of frustration
Hammering home the difference, Valentine adds: “We are certainly not a trade union, because a union works to an agenda that doesn’t always represent drivers.
“The RHA [Road Haulage Association] and FTA [Freight Transport Association] do a reasonable job but they don’t represent people in the driving seat.”
United Drivers has been born out of a frustration – “palpable unrest”, according to HGV driver Valentine – that decision-makers, ministers and senior members of the government are all failing to consult and discuss transport problems with the people who arguably know more about the issues than anyone else, and at the very least are the ones affected the most by them.
“No drivers are represented,” he says. “It all drills down to drivers who are recipients of this nonsense.
“The lobby group is all about encouraging dialogue with the government directly about how their decisions materially affect the drivers.
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