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"30" Terms No Nearer : Union Demands Onerous

12th April 1957, Page 36
12th April 1957
Page 36
Page 36, 12th April 1957 — "30" Terms No Nearer : Union Demands Onerous
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

By A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT WITH only 2-1weeks to elapse before the 20 m.p.h. speed limit for " heavy goods vehicles is raised to 30 m.p.h., no further progress has been made in negotiations between the employers and the unions on terms for operation at the higher speed.

Settlement has been complicated by the unions' demand for a reduction in the daily legal maximum driving hours from 11 to 10, a maximum daily mileage of 200 and an increase in pay to give 11 hours' remuneration for 10 hours' work. These terms would cancel most of the benefit from the higher speed limit that might otherwise be obtained by a minority of operators.

These demands are separate from the increase in wages proposed in R.H. (61), which the Road Haulage Wages Council considered on Wednesday. Many objections were received.

The Commercial Motor was informed this week that British Road Services still had a claim for increased wages under consideration, but no further meeting had been fixed. The -matter has been in abeyance since February,

_It appears that B.R.S. are trying to devise a formula which will meet not only the unions' present claim, but also take care of terms for operation at 30 m.p.h.

Lorry and bus drivers would follow other workers in calling for a shorter working week, said Mr. S. C. Hills, regional secretary (Newcastle upon Tyne) of the Transport and General Workers Union, in an address last Saturday to the British Institute of Management's Midlands conference at Droitwich.

It was likely: he said, that the greatest pressure for a shorter working week would come in those industries in which technological change was most rapid and which offered the greatest possibility of success. When this happened, commercial-vehicle drivers would not stand aside and see their relative position made worse.

In the immediate post-war years the accepted policy of the 40-hour week was not pressed because of the economic needs of the community. Such ark attitude was possible only when restraint by the trade unioits was matched in other sections of the community. If the signal was given for a" free for all," trade unionists claimed to be free to act in defence of their own interests.

TRANSPORT POWERS FOR COUNCILS?

WHEN a conference is convened in Edinburgh next Wednesday to discuss rural transport, it may be proposed that local councils be granted authority to organize transport in country areas. The District ,Couricils' Association, the Scottish Women's Rural Institute, the Ministry of Transport and other parties will be represented.

Many Scottish farming communities have found it difficult to find and retain labour when transport was lacking or limited.


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