UNION EVIDENCE IN RATES INQUIRY
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From our Industrial Correspondent
-r EADERS of the Transport and General .1.d workers' Union are to give evidence to Mr. Aubrey Jones' National Board for Prices and Incomes on the proposed increase in road haulage rates. The decision, taken by the union's national executive, was announced by Mr. Harry Nicholas, the union's acting general secretary.
He said that the union had received a request from the Board in connection with the road haulage reference and would submit evidence on such matters as rates of pay, conditions of service, and on what wage adjustments and improvements in conditions had taken place in the past few years. He seemed to believe that with basic rates for road haulage workers well below the national average the union would have little difficulty in persuading the Board that the 6 per cent increase, due to come into force this week, was well justified.
" We will justify the reasons why we sought adjustments in the rates of pay and conditions of work of the people we repre
sent Mr. Nicholas declared. " We are prepared to defend our members anywhere. And we are certainly going to row in to ensure that there are no price increases that can be avoided."
But though the union are prepared to co-operate in investigating price increases, they are less forthcoming when it comes to wages—and particularly to wage claims still in process of negotiation. Mr. Nicholas made it very clear that they would brook no interference in the normal collective bargaining procedures. Though he did not spell it out, the implication was that if a claim was referred to the Prices and Incomes Board and negotiations were held up, the union would be ready to call a strike. But after an agreement had been reached they would be ready to justify the terms. For. Mr. Nicholas added, the union never submitted a claim for more pay unless they believed they had the evidence to back it up. They were not in the habit of putting in illogical claims.
Mr. Aubrey Jones is still confident that he will have his report on the road haulage reference out in time for his deadline, which is towards the end of this month. Some written evidence has already reached the Board and hearing of oral evidence in ,priSate is expected to start shortly. By avoiding public hearings the Board hope to speed up their proceedings.