Low offer , four-day week
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MUNICIPAL busman have been offered a three per cent pay rise for 1983 — in response to a claim which has been estimated at costing the employers nearer 30 per cent.
Meanwhile, however, there is a "off the ball" tussle taking place over schemes to implement a four-day week at the local level.
The 1983 national claim put to the national joint industrial council representing local authority bus crews, was for parity with local authority manual workers grade F plus 13 per cent on top. The employers side have responded with a three per cent offer on existing pay — which is yet to be considered by the busmen's delegates.
The settlement was due to be implemented at the beginning of January.
For National Bus Company and Scottish Bus Group busmen, a similar claim has been lodged and at the National Council meeting this week the employers were expected to make their response. The busmens' claim led by the Transport and General Workers' Union also seeks agreed movements from the 39 to a 35 hour week.
The existing national agreements allow for the working week to be agreed locally, and at Midland Red (West) a four day week scheme has been introduced in response to the Hereford arid Worcester trial area.
Now TGWU national officers are claiming that there is "a coordinated campaign among bus operators to run public transport at whatever price workers in the industry are prepared to pay".