NFC jumps the gun and offers £3 more
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1E3 PER WEEK increase has been offered to National Freight Corn'any drivers, shunters and loaders covered by the Transport and ieneral/United Road Transport Union agreement.
The URTUrs general secretary ackson Moore, confirmed that e received details of the offer om NFC's personnel director, oh Wilson in November in a itier which said that the cornany was disappointed that a parate company negotiations 'mild not be taking place.
This, said NFC, would result in "equal misery for all". Increases in labour costs must be kept to a minimum to avoid redundancies, states the company.
Mr Moore says that the company has taken the unprecedented step of making a first and final offer prior to an application for an increase being lodged. This, he believes, is not negotiation.
The offer, which will give a minimum of £73.60 per week and a maximum of £80 (plus a 50p subsistence increase) is now being discussed by separate union branches, and negotiators are awaiting the reaction of members.
West Midlands employers this week made a £3 per week offer at a Joint Industrial Council, but the offer eliminates the £1.50 West Midlands supplement, resulting in a net payment of £81 for 40 hours.
This makes the rise only £1.50 per week which, according to TGWU negotiator Jim Hunt, is not an offer which can be referred back to the members as he claims they would see it as an insult. No dates for further meetings are planned.
On Teesside, the TGWU and employers met for the second time last week. The union was asked to re-submit its case in June and in return, it has asked for an offer of around £80-£81 (plus an allowance increase) as a holding agreement to be reviewed again in March.
The union organiser John Yates told CM that hauliers have been asked to absorb the proposed wage increase by reducing their profits. A further meeting is planned for December 22.
At a North-western meeting on December 2 no offer was made to the TGWU and there was a request for an extension of the current agreement, which the union rejected.
A meeting was planned between the employers and the URTU yesterday {Friday) and a further meeting with the TGWU is scheduled for Monday.
In Glasgow, a meeting will take place on Tuesday to discuss the proposed six-month wage freeze, while further south no agreement was reached in the Metropolitan and South-eastern JIC talks on December 1.
On Monday, drivers working from the Perry Bar container depot near Birmingham were offered a 5.7 per cent increase which would give them an £82.50 per week basic plus a £4 supplement. TGWU negotiators will be taking the offer back to their members without a recommendation and a mass meeting is scheduled for after Christmas.