What the Associ
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Operators to Defy Wages Award?.
COLLOWING their decision to re.1: affirm their opposition to the imposition of Grade I wages as part of the permanent settlement in various parts of the Northern, North-Western and Yorkshire Traffic Areas, the employers' panels of the three areas are seeking a mandate from .operators, both as to Wages and working condi tions. All associations representing A and B-licence .holders -in the three areas have been asked tb obtain-their members' views on two points:—
What is their attitude to the award which has been made, providing for the payment of. Grade I wages? What is their ,.attitude concerning the 48-hour guaranteed week and the week's holiday. with pay?
The associations have been requested to ask their members whether they will support an agreement on wages and working conditions which excludes the guaranteed 48-hour week and the week's holiday with pay.
It is evident that the three employers' panels are seeking this mandate from operators because they realize the gravity of taking steps in opposition to the wages awards.
Mr. Charles lioldsworth, of Halifax, who has been elected chairman of the employers' panel of the Yorkshire Area Board, following the resignation, for health reasons, of Mr. A. H. Butterwick, of Leeds, made reference to the matter at a meeting of operators at Bradford, on Monday. Following an
address by S.T.R., costs expert of The Commercial Motor, Mr. Holcisworth referred to the bearing of wages on costs, and stated:—
" On February 21 the Yorkshire Area Board will meet, and we want a mandate from the whole of the associations in Yorkshire as to what we shall do concerning wages. We mast get wages and conditions settled. We are _ all agreed that drivers should have wages and conditions which are equitable to them and equitable' to the employer; it is most important that whatever we settle is carried out by everybody."
Mr. Holdsworth added that the members of the Yorkshire employers' panel were appointed to carry out the instructions of the associations.
Definite views on the issue in Yorkshire were expressed in a resolution passed at a meeting of operators in Hull and district, last Friday, held under the auspices of A.R.O. The resolution recommended the employers' panel of the Yorkshire Board not to observe the award on grading in Yorkshire, " because it is impracticable," and recommended the employers' panel to take the necessary steps to bring into operation a Yorkshire agreement on wages ' and conditions, which excludes the guaranteed 48-hour week and the week's holiday with pay, subject to the whole problem of wages and working conditions being reviewed , in June, 1937.
At meetings of a number of branches of the Yorkshire Stage Carriage Operators Association, this week, resolutions have been passed opposing Grade wages, the 48-hour guaranteed Week and the week's holiday with pay: They urge that agreements should be Made in districts, in place of one agreement for the whole Yorkshire Area. The resolutions also contend that no agreements should he made "until the railway companies and Cdicence holders are brought into line."