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148 
Peace in our times plan in W. Midlands
Page 5
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rEsT MIDLANDS hauliers are locked in negotiations with 5/35 • anch of the Transport and General Workers Union over a code at could prove to be the blueprint for industrial peace among re drivers of the area this winter.
The code will lay down round rules that could lead to le setting up of a Joint Inustrial Council for the inastry in the West Midlands — -id both sides of the talks feel tat this could be the way out the anarchy of last winter. Initial talks were held under ie auspices of the Governent's Advisory, Conciliation -id Arbitration Service beiuse it was felt that some of e bitterness of the January rike could still be about.
But this week Road Haulage ssociation area secretary )b Ward told CM that the ily thing that would save the dustrial situation in the 'est Midlands was a Joint In'stria' Council. And he emphasised that there was to be no fait accompli with the council being produced out of a hat.
During previous years the RHA in Birmingham operated a highly successful informal arrangement with the then Midlands TGWU supremo Alan Law but Mr Law has now retired.
Mr Ward said: "The informal arrangement. worked well but now we must develop the basic principles — and we have still got the hard work to do on discipline and grievance procedures.
"We called in ACAS because they have a wealth of experience in these matters," he added.
The negotiations have met with a favourable reaction from the TGWU men. "As far as I am concerned democracy is taking place — it is not a one-man situation as it was before," said 5/35 branch chairman Dennis Mills.
Mr Law's successor as regional officer of the TGWU has said that the negotiations are the result of a desire to build on a negotiating framework.
Mr Law has come in for some criticism of his handling of union affairs during his period in office and has been labelled "an autocrat" by some.
Now the whole idea of a Joint Industrial Council will have to be put to the membership of the branch before it becomes one of the very few in Britain to have taken the step.
During the January strike the West Midlands was one of the toughest areas. Mr Law negotiated a special deal before the strike but rebels forced the issue and got the deal rescinded by the union to bring the West Midlands men into the strike on an official basis — it was this that brought about much of the bad feeling in the area.
• See Editorial, opposite.