y worries for . Midlands
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ms of up to 50 per hought to have been by Transport and Workers Union in the Midlands. But s have been lodged yet — only three fore the first of the lands agreements is gning.
jor pay claim in the idlands — which bout the blacking of in the area by the ent last year — for re-negotiation in r but nothing has yet been heard from the union.
Informed sources told CM this week claims of around £65 for a 35-hour working week are being talked of in the West Midlands by the troubled TGWU 5/35 branch.
If this forms the basis of the claim, it could mean that instead of going for a higher basic wage the men are also to try for a shorter working week so that more cash can be made by more overtime being worked.
Negotiations in the West Midlands are likely to be under different circumstances this year. The resignation of Alan Law from one of his branch posts as secretary and the splitting of the branch into four has changed the face of -the situation completely.
Already, tanker drivers in the area have claimed 33 per cent rises and have threatened to bring about a fuel crisis more serious than that of early this -year in support of their claim.
It is thought that the branch may be influenced by members of the Right to Work campaign and sources in the area say that there is a real concern that there will be a return to the situation where there were 28 strikes in 13 weeks in the transport industry in the Midlands alone some years ago.
Other pay claims in the area are thought to have been hovering around the 40 per cent mark — and acceptance of this kind of claim would destroy any semblance of acceptance of Government pay guidelines in the area.
Already TGWU national organiser Jack Ashwell has made it clear that the pay guidelines are just that, they are guidelines and not legislation and should be treated as such.