Mr Gunter rejects busmen's el rise
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THE El a week rise to municipal busmen awarded by the Employers Federation last month has been rejected by Mr. Ray Gunter, Minister of Labour, it was announced on Tuesday. Thus follows the prospect of more industrial trouble in the municipal bus field (CM, December 5).
A meeting of the Transport and General Workers Union executive was due to be held yesterday (Thursday) to discuss the position. Mr. Larry Smith, national organizer of the bus workers, told COMMERCIAL MOTOR before the meeting that the union was "bitterly disappointed" as busmen were among the lower paid workers. He felt that the Government had not the power to interfere in an agreement between employers and the union. The £1 should be paid.
Mr. Gunter, however, made it plain that the agreement was out of line with the incomes policy. He has threatened to use Part Two of the Prices and Incomes Act for the first time if necessary to stop payment. This would mean a compulsory freeze of up to six months while the dispute is probed. If strikes or even overtime bans took place during that period, leaders of the union would face the prospect of £500 fines or imprisonment on non-payment.