i learned that the way to success does not need a mass of people gathering together and causing havoc. it does grab attention but it also tends to increase the number of arrests and tension in any area that this type of thing is focused in.
one person can make the news and gain support from all sorts of people if they go about it in the right way.
i think its time for us to make it known to the public about the oppression that the government and the euros are forcing upon us with all the legislations and targetting that we receive. the effects of the new laws that are due now and will no doubt arrive over time will end up having consequences for every person in the uk eventually. at teh far end of the scale, we are talking national strikes for a week or more which will damage the economy and the individuals living within it. some would not survive which none of us want.
if we sit around and wait for something to change, we are wasting our time and we will see our lives become worse and eventually, some individuals will go off and create a situation which would take a very long time to recover from.
however, if we make a stand now, we can keep things under control and gain the much needed media attention that we hope will gather support from people from all walks of life. it has become painfully obvious that the general public are not aware of the problems that we face every single day of our working lives. the truth would horrify your average pen pushing office worker.
i say we plan a strategic action and see it through using similiar methods as the fuel protests. they had things under control and they quit at the right time. it was surprisingly professional considering the people involved were not exactly military icons. they got support all over the country and they managed to get the PM involved within a matter of days. the go-slow protests from the last few days have the opposite effect. ok, it feels good to be heard but the public will not support anyone who slows their journey down.
given the right tactics and proper control over the people involved, we can make people sit up and take notice. i say we get planning NOW!
A nice thought richie…but unfortunately you will never unite drivers to make a stand…ive been saying for years that we need a very strong union and every driver in the industry would have to join it..(like years ago) and only then would we have any clout..and only then would we be united..and our voices could be heard.. i for one would love to start a new union..for drivers ..run by drivers..and not some office bod who has never even seen inside of a hgv..nor begins to understands the problems that drivers are up against..but ill wait in anticipation…
this is a way around that problem. the fuel strikes started with a few people then it escalated because of the support gained by the media reporting it.
the fathers for justice guys had only a couple of people to go out and do something stupid but it grabbed the medias attention. now look at them.
all we need is a way to get the cameras to a location and get on the news. a lot of people would support us with very little work initially. once the public realise what the governing bodies are doing to us as the backbone of britain, they will support us
scanny77:
this is a way around that problem. the fuel strikes started with a few people then it escalated because of the support gained by the media reporting it.
the fathers for justice guys had only a couple of people to go out and do something stupid but it grabbed the medias attention. now look at them.
all we need is a way to get the cameras to a location and get on the news. a lot of people would support us with very little work initially. once the public realise what the governing bodies are doing to us as the backbone of britain, they will support us
Im right behind you Scanny so to speak but I think dressing up as batman and robin wont get us to far
To get the countries notice you have to hit them where it hurts, stop driving, stop delivering joe bloggs luxuries and they will soon stand up and take notice when they are down to the last gallon of petrol in the car or the last bag of oven chips in the freezer.
Like Trucky said we need one strong union but I fear the British driver pool has been watered down over the last six odd months to enable a complete halt on HGV traffic.
But if it did come off I would support whatever form of action was needed.
truckyboy:
A i for one would love to start a new union…for drivers …run by drivers…and not some office bod who has never even seen inside of a hgv…nor begins to understands the problems that drivers are up against…but i`ll wait in anticipation…
how would one go about starting such a union?
(honest question)=honest answers only.
it would take forever to set up a union and i for one, wouldnt have a clue where to start. i reckon we peacefully blockade something. the refinery blockades was an excellant idea but it has been done and probably wouldnt work again. they would clamp down on us in a big way. we need something original but effective
A few thoughts for what they are worth. Not impossible but difficult, some things to consider:
Business Plan
EU & UK Trade Union & Employment Law
Membership
Recruitment
Contributions
Services on offer
Affiliates
Franchises
Maybe a tie up or tie in with an existing Union but as a seperate body would be worth exploring if they would provide the Infrastructure services to you for a fee.
Do your Research and Document it.
A more modest way would be to find someone who can spare their time and effort for free or very little and start from humble beginnings. All you really need is a PC, printer, etc and then just make yourself know to anyone and everyone stating clearly your objectives and policies. Be a good thesis subject for a political under-graduate to get their teeth into, if you can find one to help, local Uni’s, colleges, etc. maybe?
But wasn’t URTU supposed to be ‘for drivers, by drivers’■■
If that was the case then surely we just need to promote a recruitment drive on their behalf (and make a better job of it than they’ve done!!)
Using them (URTU) as an example may give an indication as to the likely problems to be faced. Remember when they set up a driving agency that was going to do things ‘properly’ i.e. drivers given assessments before being sent to a a customer, right man for the right job, all 100% legal and ligit, etc, etc?? The rate was going to be a ‘bit more than normal’ but the plan was that customers would be happy to pay a bit more to ensure they got better quality drivers than the usual (percieved) standard. Well, it didn’t work.
What they did was commendable and in theory should’ve worked but the thing that let them down was the fact that ‘money talks’. If drivers were to try and organise protests or strikes etc i’m afraid there are too many other drivers/companies that would see it as a chance to ‘make a killing’ due to the lower than normal levels of competition; and so the idea would fail. Remember the ‘water shortages’■■ Anyone who could get hold of tanker that could carry water was making a mint!! But what were most of the drivers doing at every opportunity? Turning on as many taps as they could and leaving them running!! Why?? Becasue they hoped to keep making more money; never mind the fact that my 80 year old Granny had to carry buckets of water to her house over 200 metres from the nearest standpipe/water bowser!!
To be heard we have got to find alternative ways of attracting attention. Hang on a bit, i’m thinking about it…
if any of you want to know what can be done GOTO johnvasey.com and click on What has been done, this is only part of a successful campaign to have John released from a French prison.
The demostrations were organised by and mainly composed of “White Van Men” from the M8 down to Dover with the last one a convoy from Washington, John’s home town to the French Embassy where his Mother and then Wife had a meeting with the French Charge de Affaires,(the Police on Guard Duty said they had never seen some one with a petition being invited in before,
The last demo discussed at length involved The Angel of The North and the only reason this was not carried out was the difficulty in not being able to find some one with the climbing experience willing to do it.
I leave it to your imagination what we had in mind
i admit that its a tricky one. whatever we do, it has to be legal, organised and effective in a short time. none of us want to be sitting on a picket line for weeks on end. im thinking, less than 1 week. blockading heathrow for a few hours in june would probably do it. it would affect a lot of people and would grab media attention
Scanny 77 I agree whole heartedly with what your trying to do but by causing a blockade are’nt you playing into the hands of the already very vocal anti-truck lobby?
Is’nt there another way to try first, FTA/RHA majoe publicity campaign by one of the Mags, even Trucknet (I’d contibute) and keep the direct action as your ultimate weapon?
CM:
Scanny 77 I agree whole heartedly with what your trying to do but by causing a blockade are’nt you playing into the hands of the already very vocal anti-truck lobby?
Is’nt there another way to try first, FTA/RHA majoe publicity campaign by one of the Mags, even Trucknet (I’d contibute) and keep the direct action as your ultimate weapon?
unless i,m mistaken, T/NET cannot, and will not get involved with any form of protest/strike etc. i stand to be corrected of course, but i,m sure this is the case
as for any of the magazines getting involved, if they were interested i think they would have shown there hand b4 now.
keep thinking though.
Ohterry I was not suggesting that TruckNet get involved in any protests or direct action m8, but that perhaps TruckNet could instigate or support a properly organised and wholly legal Advertising and Publicity campaign through appropriate channels.
i couldnt possibly forget truckersworld. im one of the news editors for barrie
im not saying that my ideas are correct and they must be put in place. i want us to stand up to the government together but as we are a team, any ideas would be welcome from anyone.
we have to get the ideas out in the open and find faults with them. eventually, we will come up with a stonking idea and we can put it in place. i am not a fan of any ‘big’ organisation such as the FTA or RHA basically because groups like that who claim to represent us always have a selling price. we are the ones who are directly affected so logically speaking, no member here should be in a position to be bought. we need a group who will stick together through anything and display uncompromised loyalty and integrity to each other as well as those who we represent. anything short of that is shooting ourselves in the foot.
i can hand on heart say that i am not for sale. the unions seem to side with whoever offers them the best profit margin which is why we are still waiting for £10 p/h minimum.
public image plays a big part too. i couldnt care less about that. i am standing up for my rights as a member of the public.
diplomacy seems to be a hurdle which i will not have to deal with. im scottish. i call it like i see it and if i upset someone, im achieving something. even slander doesnt bother me. i have nothing to sue for which is why we are moaning in the first place
i have had it with these people. its time we stood up for ourselves and make them realise that we do have a voice and we want to be heard before its too late. i want to see british truck drivers driving on britains roads. i dont us want to be made extinct
so to speak 
but I think dressing up as batman and robin wont get us to far 
