GLASGOW NEWS GLASGOW PH FIRM & DRIVERS ASSOC MAKE LANDMARK AGREEMENT ON DRIVER REPRESENTATION
Glasgow-based Saltire Private Hire and the Scottish Private Hire Association (SPHA) have entered into an agreement which will see the firm’s drivers having collective bargaining rights on matters related to their contract terms and working conditions. In the terms of the agreement, which have been formalised in a ‘Memorandum of Understanding’, the company recognises the SPHA as “a professional trade body capable of representing its members with authority and responsibility” and agreed that “the association shall be the sole professional trade body entitled to represent the interests and concerns of the PH drivers working for and with the company”. The deal will see the company’s drivers being represented by the association in any future dis- cussions with the company’s management on business decisions that might affect the way that drivers work or decisions that could affect their earning potential. The drivers will also benefit from receiving represent- ation at disciplinary meetings. Additionally, the firm’s drivers will benefit from being represented by the association in any dealings with the licensing department at Glasgow City Council. According to the SPHA, the agreement should be considered a landmark achievement for self- employed drivers. Eddie Grice, the SPHA’s General Secretary, said: “Following dis- cussions, our association and Saltire Private Hire have signed the memorandum with each other.
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“The agreement being made is akin to a recognition agreement where Saltire now recognises the SPHA to represent their drivers. We will now form a permanent negotiating committee made up of SPHA and driver representatives from within the company’s driver fleet for the purposes of collective bargaining, consultation and negotiation. “This is a landmark agreement, never before has a PH firm entered into a voluntary agreement like this with a fully self-employed work- force. “Historically, PH firms would make business decisions without con- sulting with their self-employed drivers, however, this agreement between Saltire and the SPHA will see the firm consult and negotiate with the drivers via their trade reps on issues, such as contractual terms and conditions, operational decisions, health & safety, equal opportunities, and on earning potential for the drivers. This is a massive leap forward for self- employed drivers in the PH trade. “The SPHA is now calling on other PH firms to follow suit and to make the same commitment. We encourage them to sit down at the table with their workforces to consult on decisions and negotiate terms that affect their self- employed drivers. Let them have a seat at the table and have a voice.”
John Paul Duffy, the Chairman for the SPHA’s West of Scotland branch, added: “During the talks leading to all this, the SPHA requested that Saltire also agree to making sure all disciplinary actions be carried out in line with ACAS codes of conduct. We are happy to see that the company made this commitment. We believe this to be the first time anything like that has happened in this industry.” Rob Finlayson, Company Director of Saltire Private Hire, said: “We’re delighted to make this agreement with the SPHA. The folks in the association have been doing an amazing job in driving change across the industry. When we decided that we wanted our drivers to have solid representation it was a no-brainer to recognise the SPHA for the job. “We feel having the SPHA involved at the core of our business will allow us to better serve not only our drivers but will have far reaching implications across the industry and we hope that this marks a watershed moment and that other operators follow suit. “Our Company ethos is ‘Do the right thing’ and by agreeing to have the SPHA come in and be integrated into our business in a support and guidance capacity, I would like to think we have gone a long way in working in accordance with that ethos today. “This sits alongside our newly launched driver profit share scheme which sees our driver and staff teams as the sole beneficiaries of the company’s profits each year. We really feel that we are making a difference in the industry.”
DECEMBER 2022 PHTM
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