DELEGATES at the RMT Annual General Meeting in Liverpool have backed a motion highlighting the recruitment and retention crisis facing the freight and logistics sector, calling for a stronger union focus on organising workers across the industry.

The motion, moved by Area 2 delegate Stuart Sharp, warned that the industry faced a shortage of 80,000 HGV drivers because people were leaving in search of better pay and conditions.

Mr Sharp said: “What we are looking for is for the union to back this sector.

“My drivers in the company, as soon as the ink is dry on the contract, there’s an RMT membership slip for them to fill in to join straight away.

“We have 100 per cent membership in our terminal, and that goes across the board.”

Mr Sharp, who received loud applause from the floor representing rail, bus and maritime workers, added: “During Covid truck drivers were held as heroes.

“How quickly that’s been forgotten.”