WORKING HOURS AND REQUIRED REST BREAKS

Our ref: HSR

Head Office Circular: NP/236/24

2nd October 2024

To: The Secretary

ALL BRANCHES

REGIONAL COUNCILS

 

Dear Colleague

 

WORKING HOURS AND REQUIRED REST BREAKS

 

Your 2024 AGM carried the following resolution received from this year’s Bus Workers’ Industrial Organising Conference:

 

On 3 January 2024, in response to a query from RMT London Representative Theresa Emerson, Secretary of State for Transport Mark Harper wrote "bus operators, as employers, are required and so far, as is reasonably practicable, to ensure the health and safety of their employees while at work and others who may be put at risk by their work activities.

 

Therefore, bus operators should have policies and practices in place to ensure their employees do not drive whilst tired, putting themselves and other road users at risk."

 

Taking the Secretary of State at his word, "to ensure that bus drivers do not drive whilst tired, putting themselves and other road users at risk" this RMT National Bus Workers Industrial Organising Conference calls upon the RMT National Executive Committee to support and campaign for a change to PCV Drivers' Working Hours and Required Rest Breaks.

 

Specifically, the Conference calls upon RMT National Executive Committee to work with the Health & Safety Executive and the DfT to amend “The Driver's Hours (Passenger and Goods Vehicles) (Modifications) Order 1971” to reinstate the requirement to take a break after “5.5 hours on duty” as found in Section 96 of the Road Transport Act 1968, instead of “after 5.5 hours of driving” as is currently the case.

 

At its meeting on 24th September 2024 your National Executive Committee noted and adopted the following report from its health and safety sub-committee:

We note the resolution form our Bus Workers’ Industrial Organising Conference which was carried by the union’s 2024 AGM.

The General Secretary is instructed to act in line with the sentiments of the resolution and support and campaign for a change to PCV Drivers' Working Hours and Required Rest Breaks, working with the Health & Safety Executive and the DfT to amend “The Driver's Hours (Passenger and Goods Vehicles) (Modifications) Order 1971” to reinstate the requirement to take a break after “5.5 hours on duty” as found in Section 96 of the Road Transport Act 1968, instead of “after 5.5 hours of driving” as is currently the case.

Relevant members, branches and regional councils to be informed.

            I am acting in line with these instructions. Please bring this circular to the attention of all relevant members.

 

Yours sincerely

 

 

 

Michael Lynch

General Secretary