Moving Target,Winter 1991
UNION NEWS
MT phoned the TGWU headquarters to get an update on their courier branch,but sadly they were unaware that one had ever existed. They were howevermost helpful and gave us Mr Page's number, he being the south east regionalorganiser. Now we do know that there was a branch, but the word on thestreet is that it has folded up. This is yet to be confirmed by Page whowas not in his office when we called, therefore we take great pleasurein writing that immortal phrase "AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS we areunable to confirm the collapse of the T&G courier branch.
At the moment the D.I.W.U. (Despatch Industry Workers Union) can claimto be the longest running union in the history of despatching, as its nowcoming up to its second anniversary.
The aims of DIWU are 'in short term to improve pay and conditions (e.g.sick pay, holiday pay, better rates, vehicle allowance, job security etc.,)in the long term it aims 'to totally reorganise the despatch industry andhelp change society as a whole. Industries can and should be run for thebenefit of the workers not the bosses.'
With the apparent failure of the T&G it seems like you have thechoice to continue putting up with the generally atrocious conditions manyCCs and despatch riders work in at the moment, or doing something aboutit by joining the union. DIWU can be contacted by writing to PO Box 574,London SE4 1DL.
The Independent Couriers Association (ICA) was formed in New York in1984 to fight the NYC Council Bill to regulate and licence all push bikecouriers. As a result of ICA pressure the Bill was heavily diluted andessentially unworkable. An excellent pamphlet which tells the story ofthe ICA (and a whole load more) is available for £1.25 from DIWU PO Box574, London SE4 1DL. The ICA can be contacted at ICA, PO Box 3137, NewYork 10027, USA. Phone (USA) 212-662-4513.
"I LIKE A LAUGH"
Imagine if you will, a scene of calm and tranquillity, yes indeed it'sthe FIRST COURIER office, enter a new rider, a cheery fellow indeed. FirstCourier keep him hanging about the office for some time, then in comesa cash job worth £3.70 and the fat controller send him merrily on his way.What exactly happened next is this intriguing mystery of lust, power andamoebae is hard to tell but, when chummy went to collect said parcel, someonemust have said "now be careful with that, there's a £1000 in there. The rider has not been seen since. He escaped with a total of £1003.70and dumped the company bike and radio outside of First's pretend repairman’s garage. Free enterprise a Go Go! He'll eat well this christmas let'shope he doesn't get a girth on him.
WHO SHOULD BE PAYING WHO?
The courier client wars are raging. The Corporate Image is becomingall important, but just is the corporate image and how do cycle couriersfit into it or indeed should they? One way to smarten up a company's imageand impress clients is to supply riders with a uniform. This is all welland good if it's free and why should we turn down what are seemingly generoushandouts. So as companies fight for clients, by smartening up their image,CCs have to smarten up theirs and at their expense.
Recently at a company we won't name, but let's say some lights havebatteries other have a ..... ! Get my drift. The couriers were handed T-shirts& sweat shirts, then on pay day new riders were docked 15 for the clothing.When one brave courier went to complain, he was simply told he was gettingthe gear at cost. To add insult to injury a ten pound fine has been introducedfor rides that fail to wear the company attire, and this outrageous practiseis becoming widespread across the industry.
Another example of this ‘Corporate Image' occurred recently at anothercompany we won't name...but like 'hurricane' but starting with 'C'... arider who had 'FUCK the Poll Tax’ on his bag was taken aside for a chatby someone speaking on behalf of Cyclone management. He was told that acomplaint had been received from an advertising agency (who also happenedto have Cyclone’s advertising account) and that although the Poll Tax wasn'tthe issue, the word FUCK certainly was. As a result of this he was givena new bag and assured that was the end of it. No chance. The bag soon hada new statement added to the effect that in a material society no matterhow much you try to strive to be 'successful’ you'll never get anywhere.Underneath he had written ‘No Poll Tax' the following week he was againtaken aside by the same 'representative’ and told that they had receivedanother complaint from the same agency who felt it was a waste of theirtime trying to improve Cyclone’s 'Corporate Image’ if they had couriersgoing round with things like that on their bag (another rider who added‘Puck the Foll Tax’ to his bag was also given the same treatment). Smarteningup CCs to promote the company image costs the company nothing, and theythen get free advertising into the bargain. So shouldn't we, the self employedindependent CCs, be charging for the use of our bodies as advertising space.The smart I'll do any job to anywhere, for any price, just to help thecompany out despite the fact I'm not actually employed by them "CorporateImage is one thing, the independent self styled CC is another, and we shouldkick back lest the two become one.
MT demands: gossip, insults hearsay, stupidity, scandal,lies, jokes, slaggings, stories, surprises, smut, snot, poetry, dirt, liable,innuendo, tall tales....
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