North-West Wages Deadlock Continues A LTHOUGH the National Joint Conticiliation
Page 54
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Board has given decisions on wages in the Manchester and Liverpool districts, the position still appears to be as far from settlement as ever.
" We do not believe that the Act intended that wages should be greatly increased, but rather that they should be fixed at a standard within each area," said Mr. Howard Robinson, secretary for the employers' side of the North-Western Board, last week. "The findings of the appeals committee of the National Board are purely advisory, and have to be endorsed by the Area Board. I am certain that the decisions of the appeals committee will be rejected by the employers' sides in four of the six districts to which the decisions refer," said Mr. Robinson.
Following the publication of a statement to this effect, the matter was considered by Mr. J. A. Webb (Transport and General Workers Union), Mr. J. C. Francis (United Road Transport Workers Association) and Mr, J. W. Walker (North of England Section of the T. and G.W.U.), who made the following comment :— " We regret that Mr. Howard Robinson has thought fit to anticipate the findings of the various Area Boards on the recent decisions of the National Joint Conciliation Board. The decision of the National Board was arrived at E36 in 1934, and was intended to become operative in October of that year, but at the request of the employers, mainly on the ground of contracts, a postponement was agreed to and an interim arrangement arrived at, which was endorsed by the North-Western employers.
" The employers then requested postponement of final arrangements until 1936, definitely promising that if this could be done there would be no difficulty about the final agreement, and, with a view to giving all possible assistance, we, the employees' representatives, acceded to their request. We have been through all the machinery of the Board, and, so far as we in Lancashire are concerned, the decision of the appeals committee is final and, there can be no discussion on this decision at the next meeting of the Area Board.
" We have tried direct negotiation, persuasion and mediation in an effort to prevent the North-Western Area from becoming a cockpit of strife, and we can only look upon Mr. Howard Robinson's statement as being a declaration of war, Having regard to all the facts of the case, no other interpretation can be placed upon it, and, much as we would regret to create an industrial difficulty, we shall certainly advise our membership to stand by the findings of the National Board, and the employers must accept full responsi. bility for whatever happens."
Later, Mr. Howard Robinson commented that he had merely announced the employers' decision, and had certainly not " declared war." In any case, the new wages would not come into operation until the beginning of April, and during the intervening period there would be opportunity for full consideration of the whole position.
Although transport workers in the Liverpool area are satisfied with their pay, it is possible that they will have to come out in sympathy if a threatened stoppage in the transport industry in North-West England takes place. Forty thousand lorrymen, who demand wage increases of 4s. to 8s. a week, will be affected.
In an interview, Mr. A. Denaro, secretary of the Liverpool and District Carters and Motormen's Union, said there was no doubt that, unless the employers were prepared to fall in with the decisions of the Board when they come into operation, there would be a general stoppage.
Liverpool came under Grade 1, but, at the moment, there was a slightly better _agreement in force. Nevertheless, the Liverpool emproyees might be involved. The employers in Liverpool had been very fair and had pressed for a settlement.