New wage structure
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A two-tier wage negotiating structure could leave regional trade union officers time to approach such problems as lorry parking and roads, the Transport and General Workers Union commercial group secretary Jack Ashwell told CM.
Commenting on the consultative document which has been circulated among members (CM, March 6), with a view to establishing a national minimum wage rate, Mr Ashwell said he envisaged an expanding role for the area negotiators.
The current pattern of regional negotiations had been undermined by the 1980 Employment Act, which abolished Schedule 11 of the Employment Protection Act and the 1938 Road Haulage Wages Act, and resulted in lower basic settlements, he said.
The new pattern, if approved by the group committee next month, and assuming employers are prepared to play ball, would result, he suggested, in national, negotiations taking place over a four-to-six-week period in September and October, before local negotiations traditionally take place.
He refuted Road Haulage Association suggestions that it should have been informed before the proposals were made public, saying it was still a matter which the TGWU members had to decide.
"Once we have a basis of opinion from the members, we will approach the employers to negotiate a new structure," Mr Ashwell pointed out.
But, speaking in King's Lynn last week, RHA national chairman Ken Rogers said: "It is the clear view of the RHA that the present, highly successful, arrangement of joint industrial councils at regional level provides devolved negotiations of a wholly appropriate kind.
"No advantages would flow from changes to the present system. There would be many problems for the industry if national negotiations were to be introduced.