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 however most helpful and gave us Mr Page's number, he being the south east regional organiser. Now we do know that there was a branch, but the word on the street is that it has folded up. This is yet to be confirmed by Page who was not in his office when we called, therefore we take great pleasure in writing that immortal phrase "AT TIME OF GOING TO PRESS we are unable to confirm the collapse of the T&G courier branch.
At the moment the D.I.W.U. (Despatch Industry Workers Union) can claim to be the longest running union in the history of despatching, as its now coming 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 and help change society as a whole. Industries can and should be run for the benefit of the workers not the bosses.'
With the apparent failure of the T&G it seems like you have the choice to continue putting up with the generally atrocious conditions many CCs and despatch riders work in at the moment, or doing something about it 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 in 1984 to fight the NYC Council Bill to regulate and licence all push bike couriers. As a result of ICA pressure the Bill was heavily diluted and essentially unworkable. An excellent pamphlet which tells the story of the ICA (and a whole load more) is available for £1.25 from DIWU PO Box 574, London SE4 1DL. The ICA can be contacted at ICA, PO Box 3137, New York 10027, USA. Phone (USA) 212-662-4513.
"I LIKE A LAUGH"
Imagine if you will, a scene of calm and tranquillity, yes indeed it's the FIRST COURIER office, enter a new rider, a cheery fellow indeed. First Courier keep him hanging about the office for some time, then in comes a 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 and amoebae is hard to tell but, when chummy went to collect said parcel, someone must 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 £1003.70 and dumped the company bike and radio outside of First's pretend repair man’s garage. Free enterprise a Go Go! He'll eat well this christmas let's hope he doesn't get a girth on him.
WHO SHOULD BE PAYING WHO?
The courier client wars are raging. The Corporate Image is becoming all important, but just is the corporate image and how do cycle couriers fit into it or indeed should they? One way to smarten up a company's image and impress clients is to supply riders with a uniform. This is all well and good if it's free and why should we turn down what are seemingly generous handouts. 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 have batteries 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 getting the gear at cost. To add insult to injury a ten pound fine has been introduced for rides that fail to wear the company attire, and this outrageous practise is becoming widespread across the industry.
Another example of this ‘Corporate Image' occurred recently at another company we won't name...but like 'hurricane' but starting with 'C'... a rider who had 'FUCK the Poll Tax’ on his bag was taken aside for a chat by someone speaking on behalf of Cyclone management. He was told that a complaint had been received from an advertising agency (who also happened to have Cyclone’s advertising account) and that although the Poll Tax wasn't the issue, the word FUCK certainly was. As a result of this he was given a new bag and assured that was the end of it. No chance. The bag soon had a new statement added to the effect that in a material society no matter how 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 again taken aside by the same 'representative’ and told that they had received another complaint from the same agency who felt it was a waste of their time trying to improve Cyclone’s 'Corporate Image’ if they had couriers going 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). Smartening up CCs to promote the company image costs the company nothing, and they then get free advertising into the bargain. So shouldn't we, the self employed independent 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 the company out despite the fact I'm not actually employed by them "Corporate Image is one thing, the independent self styled CC is another, and we should kick 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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