Corporations Offer 9s. Pay Rise: Claim Made on Companies
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iT is understood that the employers' side of the National Joint industrial Council for the municipal passenger transport industry has offered to pay .,employees an extra 9s. a week.
Although this is much less than the LI claimed (The Commercial Motor, October 22), it compares favourably with awards made since 1939. The highest so far—made in 1951—is 1 Is. Awards of 7s. 6d. a week have been made on two separate occasions.
No agreement on the claim was reached when both sides of the N.J.I.C. met last week. Another meeting is to take place next Thursday.
Manchester Busmen .Strike
In Manchester last Saturday, 2,200 drivers and conductors at the city transport department's three northern depots struck work in protest against the-delay in negotiations for an increase. The four depots in the southern. part of the city were not affected. It is planned to repeat the strike, which is unofficial, on each Saturday until Christmas.
On Friday, the transport committee offered to grant retrospectively from October 14 any wage increase which was awarded, but withdrew the offer when the strike took place.
Following this decision, a union official, said -he thought there might be further trouble this week-end. He thought it was wrong to penalize non
54 strikers, as well as those who were absent last Saturday.
A claim similar to that made by the municipal bus workers has now been received by the provincial bus companies. An increase of 9s, a week would cost them just over Om. a year.
No Decision in London On Monday, no decision was,reached
at a conference of delegates from London bus garages called by-the-Transport and General Workers' Union to consider a report on negotiations with the London Transport Executive on their claim for higher pay and improvements in conditions.
The delegates-had before them a resolution which would have given the Union authority to continue discussions with London Transport --under prescribed conditions, and an amendment asking for power :to end :their agreement and to call -an official strike. Unionleaders are understood to believe that a better offer could be obtained if the men would agrecto work -sufficient overtime to -maintain the present. schedules during what, it is. hoped, -is a temporary staff shortage.
London Transport are prepared to pay higher wages, provided that they have an :assurance that adequate overtime will be worked.
The meeting was expected toresume later this week.