Expect an Indefinite Hold-up of the Haulage Pay Proposals
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
'THE time limit expires today for the lodging of objections to the proposals for higher pay and shorter hours, put forward by the Road Haulage Wages Council. Normally this would mean that the proposals (after objections had been heard) would then be passed to the Minister of Labour, who in due course would make an order giving them legal effect.
But all this was changed last week when the Minister. Mr. John Hare, sent out a letter to 60 Wages Councils which virtually froze the pay of more than 3.500,000 workers covered by the Councils. The meaning of the letter became quickly clear when Mr. Hare refused to endorse pay rises proposed by two of the 60 Wages Councils.
Cannot Reject Proposals
Under the Act, the Minister cannot reject or amend proposals submitted to him by a Wages Council. He can only refer them back for reconsideration. That is what he did. He asked the two Councils to look at the proposals again in the light of the Chancellor's "wages pause" policy. As far as road haulage is concerned. the pattern ahead therefore appears clear. The proposals agreed by the Wages Council will be forwarded to the Minister
and, assuredly, will be sent back for reconsideration.
The trade union members will be pressing for the proposals to be resubmitted. Even should they get the support of the employers or of the three independent members appointed by the Minister— and this is by no means certain—there is nothing to stop Mr. Hare from refusing them once more.
In fact there is no limit to the number of times the Minister can send them back.
So it looks as if the proposed increases, ranging from 5s. 3d. to 6s. 3d. a week for some 130,000 drivers and mates, and the reduction of their working week from 44 to 42 hours, is off indefinitely—or at least until early next year. That is when the Chancellor has indicated that he will re-examine the wage pause in the light of the economic decision.