Another o-m-o bonus
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• The TGWU is to press for a new 10s a week bonus for the introduction of oneman buses among municipal services.
A working party was set up last week by the National Joint Council for the passenger transport industry to discuss payments for one-man bus operations. This follows the termination on Boxing Day of the Government's "freeze" order on the El a week pay award to 70,000 municipal busmen. Most local authorities have now paid the El backdated to the time of the original agreement a year ago.
Last week, the TGWU argued with the employers that further payment was now required for the introduction of one-man buses.. If the employers agreed to pay, it would be in contravention of the Government's wages policy because Mrs. Barbara Castle has stated that further introduction of one-man buses is included in the E1 now being paid.
The union also wants the 22+ per cent of costs savings from one-man buses, which the FIB has recommended should be passed on to drivers, increased to 25 per cent.
But in some towns—notably those where the GMWU has the largest membership-deals have already been approved by Mrs. Castle which recognize that the busmen have been paid for one-man operations. These were negotiated last year to replace the frozen El. It now seems likely that if the TGWU get an extra 10s for its members, the GMWU will have to claim the same amount to maintain parity of earnings in the industry.