Provincial Busmen Ready for Pay Claim
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
NOW that the pay and conditions of London drivers and conductors have at last been settled, leaders of 170,000 provincial busmen are getting ready to put in new claims. The first step in that direction was taken last week when the national passenger transport committee of the Transport and General Workers' Union. which represents both the London and provincial men, met to discuss the successful outcome of the negotiations with the London Transport Board.
The committee decided to call together the trade union side of the joint councils looking after the municipal and company men to discuss the submission of new claims for higher pay and shorter hours. And as the T.G.W.U. represents a majority of the men in both groups an early move on this is a foregone• conclusion.
Both groups of provincial busmen .nad their last pay rise only a few months ago when they received between 5 and 61per cent increases, which in many areas led directly to higher fares. But the unions are concerned at the way the gap between men in London and in the provinces has been widened by the recent settlement which provided for increases averaging 38s. a week. The " differential " between a top driver in London and one in the provinces has been increased to more than £2 10s, a week—£14 3s. 6d. as against ill 12s. 9d. Even the country bus drivers in the London area have a basic rate of £13 6s.
Although the London settlement was regarded by both the Government and the employers as an exceptional one to meet the acute shortage of staff, the unions will no doubt argue that similar considerations should apply to the provincial men. One point they are expected to propose is that there should be a national agreement on incentive payments based on the special payments for working different types of vehicles agreed in the London settlement. At present a number of provincial bus companies already work larger buses without paying their crews any special bonuses.