Wages Appeal in North-West?
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AN importantmeeting of the NorthWestern Area Joint Conciliation Board was held on September 12, following dicaffection in certain areas concerning wages grading. Both the employers' and employees' panels were well represented. The proceedings originated in resolutions passed a few days previously by Northwich and Crewe members of the Commercial Motor Users Association, who repudiated the report of the area interim arrangement, under which Crewe, Buxton, Chester, Northwich and Macclesfield were placed in Grade 2, and maintained that the report, when signed by members of the Area Con ciliation Board, stipulated that the districts should rank as Grade 3.
The C.M.U.A. members also submitted that the, Area Board had no statutory right to interfere with the interim arrangement as laid down by the National Board. They requested the Area Board to put into operation for final grading—which comes into operation on January 1 next—the interim arrangement as signed on,April 24 last.
• The following employers were deputed to push forward the above-views before the employers' panel :—Fodens, Ltd., Sandbach; Messrs. W. Mulcaster, klaslington; Messrs. Fletcher Wilbrooks .38
Motors, Nantwich; Messrs. L. A. Ward, Crewe; Messrs. S. Jackson and Son, Wistaston; and Messrs, H. J. Lee, Wheelock, Sandbach.
At the close of the Conciliation Board meeting, our correspondent was supplied with the following official statement :—" It was resolved, at this meeting of the North-Western Area Joint Conciliation Board, that the protesting districts must continue to abide by the decision whereby they were placed in Grade 2, and must pay Grade 2 wages, until they carry their protest to the appeals committee of the National Board," Several months ago Crewe, Chester, Macclesfield and Buxton were in Grade 3, but the United Road Transport Workers • Association claimed that Grade 2 should apply, and .its protest was heard by the appeals committee of the North Western Conciliation Board. The committee decided that the four districts named should be placed in Grade 2. It was, however, pointed out that Northwich was left isolated as the only Cheshire town in Grade 3. although it ranked among the busiest commercial and industrial communities in the county. Northwith was thereupon classified as Grade 2. • The Area Board endorsedthe decision of the appeals committee.