12 January 2022
RMT Press Office:
Reckless and dangerous extension to HGV drivers’ hours.
TRANSPORT UNION RMT today described the Department for Transport’s plans to further extend HGV drivers’ hours as “reckless” and “dangerous” as the Government attempts to respond to the impacts of the Omicron wave on the road haulage sector.
This extension to HGV driver’s hours follows a similar extension last year and RMT claim that the Government could move to make these changes permanent rather than an emergency measure to deal with the supply chain crisis that began last Summer. RMT is also furious that the Department for Transport gave transport unions just 24 hours to respond to their consultation on these changes.
Responding to this extension to HGV drivers’ hours RMT General Secretary Mick Lynch said:
“This extension to the previous extension of HGV drivers’ hours is utterly reckless and dangerous by the Department for Transport and is essentially an admission of a complete failure by the Government to ensure the road haulage sector is not facing a double whammy of labour shortages and increased absences caused by the Omicron variant.
“I am calling on the Government to establish a taskforce with transport unions to explore ways of tackling the long-term problems with working conditions and driver retention in the haulage sector rather than kicking the can down the road and implementing these dangerous short-term measures.”
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