Wages Increase Proposals Ratified
Page 19
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THE Minister of Labour and National Service has made an Order giving statutory effect to the proposals of theRoad Haulage Central Wages Board for the amendment of certain of the provisions of the Road Haulage Wages Orders R.H. (10) and R.II.• (12). The Order is set out in R.H. (14) and its provisions, set out in brief below, become effective as from December 6, 1943.
It is important to note that every ernplcsoyer is required by law to post up, and to keep posted up, a softicient number of true copies of this Order on his premises, so as to ensure that it can conveniently be read by all those of his employees who are concerned.
The principal alterations are those relating-to the wages s of road-haulage workers. The rate of wages for adult workers in the London and Grade I areas, also those engaged on long-distance haulage, is increased by 2s.. 6d. per week. Wages for workers in a Grade II Area are increased by 3s. per week andthose in Grade 111 Areas by 3s. 6d.. per week. Junior workers—those who are not entitled to the adult rates—receive increases of half the foregoing amounts: the full awards are to be paid to drivers of 21 years of age, and over, who are undergoing training. There is an entirely neW clause relating to employees who Are temporarily transferred from the normal home depot and stationed in another lotality (beyond reasonable daily travelling distance from homer for more than one week. They must be paid the rate of wages appropriate to the locality in which the home depot. is situated, or to the new locality, whichever is more favourable to the worker. There is further provision by way of subsistence allowances in such eases.
Subsistence Allowances up to Maximum of £2 2s. a Week
For the first week of temporary absence they are to he paid according to the provisions of R.H. (12), i.e., Os. for the first 14 hours of rest; at the time rate for the next 5i hours, and 3s. 6d. for the balance of the 24 hours. Thereafter, for the second and subsequent weeks, they must be paid a weekly subsistence allowance of £2 2s. (6s. per day).
H a worker, already on temporary transfer, be. temporarily transferred to another. new station beyond reasonable daily travelling distance from his home, he shall, after payment, in respect of the first week at such other station, of subsistence allowance in accordance with the old scale as described, be paid, in respect of the second and subsequent weeks, a weekly subsistence allowance of £2 2s. (6s. pet day).
For any period of rest occurring away from a new station and away from his home, the worker shall be paid subsistence allowance on the old scale, as already outlined, with an addition of 4s. per day.
As regards "customary holidays " it is provided that if Christmas Day falls on a Sunday, such other day must be substituted as may he prescribed by National Proclamation, or the next fallowing Tuesday. • ,
There is a further new provision as regards customary holidays. If a worker be employed on. a holiday for not more than three hours during a spell of duty commencing on the day before that holiday and finishing on. the holiday, or if he is on a spell of duty commencing on the holiday and finishingon the following day, and his hours of employment on the holiday are up to one hour, over one hour but not dyer two hours, or over two hours but not over three hours, as the case may be, at double the rate • appropriate to the work. Moreover, for the purpose of calculating the 48-hours guaranteed week, a regular worker, in the above circumstances, shall be deemed to have worked for two hours; four hours or six hours; as the case • may be. In addition, a regular worker shall be paid in respect of the holiday on the basis of the wages due for Si hours' work
at the time rate normally applicable to him. Corresponding provisions are made in respect of the customary holidays allowed in Scotland.'
The provisions regarding holidays with pay have been considerably altered, A worker who has, during the 12 months immediately 'preceding April 1, which is the commencement of the holiday season, been employed by the operator who is his • present employer, is entitled to a holiday the extent of which is determined by the period of that employment. If he has been einployed for at least 48 weeks, he is entitled to six days' holiday with pay; for at least 40 weeks—five days and so on, down to a minimum of at least eight weeks; for which the holiday period is one day. •
There is special provision for milk workers. A man who, during the above specified 12 months (known as the qualifying period), has been absent for more than seven days shall not be entitled to a holiday unless his absence was due to (i) . suspension of the guarantee week in accordance with the terms of the Order, (ii) 'absence, not exceeding 16 weeks in the qualifying period, due to proved illness or accident, (iii) suspension from employment due to shortage of work or mechanical breakdown—again, with a limit of 16 weeks, (iv) absence due to statutory and/or customary bolidays,.or on account of such holidays as are covered by this provision, (v) other absences from reasonable cause and, (vi) absence for not more than seven days for reasons other than the foregoing.
Holiday Pay Proportional to Actual Period Worked Further paragraphs set out in detail the amount ef holiday remuneration which is,in effect, the amount due
to the worker according to the appropriate scale (for 45 hours if a full week and proportionately less if the holiday due to him be of less duration). If a worker ceases to he' employed, and has some holiday due to him, he is to be paid holiday remuneration accordingly.
Thes4 holidaysmust be allowed on consecutive days, and days of holiday shall be treated as consecutive even if a Sunday, statutory, or customary holiday intervenes.
The employer is called upon to give the worker reasonable notice of the date 'of his holiday; the ootice may be given individually, or by the posting of a notice in the worker's home depot.
Certain towns have had 'their gradings revised. Luton and Plymouth have been upgraded from II to I, and the
following have been raised from Grade HI to Grade IL— Andover, 'Banbury, 'Bridgwater, Exeter, Paignston, Sherborne, Witness.
A number of important modifications has been made in definitions. The carrying capacity of a vehicle .is now defined as the weight of the maximum load normally carried by the vehicle, and such carrying capacity, when so established, shall not be affected, either by variations
in the weight of the load resulting from collections or deliveries or emptying of containers during the course of the journey, Of by the fact that, on any particular journey, a load greater or less than the established carrying capacity is carried:
'A foreman of the furniture, warehousing and removing industry is a worker who has charge of a removal and who has authority to issue instructions to two or more persons. A removal packer in the same industry is a skilled worker who packs china and other articles.
. These are only abridgments of the modifications; no reference is made, except where necessary, to those clauses which remain unaltered. Readers should obtain' a. copy of , the Order—R.H. (14), from G. H. tregear, Secretary, Road Haulage Wages Boards, Ebury Bridge House, Ebury Bridge Road, London, S.W.1.