Wages review
Page 6
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SECRET PLANS are being circulated in the Road Haulage Association to determine how future years' wage negotiations will be conducted in the wake of one of the least acrimonious wage rounds in recent memory.
A "position paper" has been prepared by RHA director-general Freddie Plaskett, detailing around six or seven options for how to tackle the matter in future years.
Mr Plaskett would not be drawn on the contents of the paper which was to be discussed this week by the RHA industrial relations committee, and which is being considered by the national council in March.
But the current wage round has been achieved very amicably in most areas, with most of the areas still to settle appearing to be prepared to accept a minimum increase of £5.50 compared with the E6 which was claimed.
Within the past week, a revised Western England offer of a £5.30 increase in 32.5 tonne basic rate, taking it to £93.70 for 40 hours, six per cent on lower grades, and 75p subsistence increase to £1 0.7 5 has been passed to shop stewards. A 38 tonne rate would be negotiated later.
A revised offer has also been made in Devon and Cornwall, with all rates rising by £5.60 per week. The 32.5 tonne rate would be £95.10, 38 tonne rate would be £100.60, and subsistence would rise by 50p to £10.50.
In Northern Ireland, where negotiations are conducted between the TGWU and the Road Transport Association, further talks were expected to take place this week.