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Inion's 'No Compensation' Demand Rejected by T.U.C.

13th September 1963
Page 9
Page 9, 13th September 1963 — Inion's 'No Compensation' Demand Rejected by T.U.C.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

E question of whether there should be any compensation to private road aauliers in the event of the road haulage industry being re-nationalized by .bour Government caused a flare-up when the T.U.C. discussed transport y at its annual conference at Brighton last week. It was raised by the 0-strong Scottish 'Horse and Motormen's Association, who tabled an amendto the composite resolution agreed by most of the other transport unions. ig on the next Labour Government to refuse any compensation for the tionalization of road haulage ".

nigh the amendment was withbefore the debate because it was to be heavily defeated, Mr. Alex the union's secretary, went to the to argue its merits. He told delehat his union was only asking ss to reiterate a policy laid down Labour Party in 1951 T.U.C. case was—surprisingly Mr. Frank Cousins, general ry of the T.G.W.U. He bluntly conference: "The T.U.C. endorse nsi that compensation should be compensation and not improper Isation. We could not and have Tn asked now tO endorse the le of no compensation at all." ilso repudiated another suggestion Kitson that the T.U.C. had done ; to produce a proper transport of its own. When the Beeching was published the transport put proposals to the Government co-ordinated transport system, he at these were rejected.

e Minister of Transport did not that British Road Services should in any different position from any operator, but that they should be .itive with the railways ", said Mr.

came from a Government which about the T.U.C. not being ready planning. The T.U.C. representalad told the National Economic pment Council that they should )ceed with the Beeching plan until ■ dy had come to conclusions alliaut t the Government would not wait. conference passed unanimously a ion reiterating its determined ion to the Government's transport which "inevitably mean ned and uncontrolled transport in ■ untry and a perpetuation of the chaotic conditions in the transndustry ". It declared that the rig Report did not meet the urgent I the nation for an efficient transstem.

;affirmed belief in a co-ordinated )rt system and called on the iment to reconsider its transport and to defer making decisions on jor rail closure proposals contained Beeching Report until a thorough of the nation's other transport s had been completed and a al plan embracing all sectors of

the transport industries had been devised.

Finally it drew attention to the need to carry out as quickly as possible a major survey of the nation's roads and to undertake a ruthless appraisal of road transport operation.

Opening the debate Mr. Sidney Greene, general secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen, said that the Beeching Report had originally received a surprising amount of support. But there were now second thoughts and eminent people were criticizing it and saying that it was not worth the paper it was written on.

Mr. Albert Griffiths, of the Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, praised Dr. Beeching's attempt to win 90,000,000 tons of freight at present going by road as a "very laudable aim" and a step to ease the " terrifying congestion " on our roads.

The question of the statutory maximum hours of driving for road transport drivers was also raised at the conference by Mr. Kitson. He expressed the intense disappointment of drivers at the slow progress which had been made on this subject. He appealed to the T.U.C. General Council to make some "forceful" representations to the Minister of Transport. He said they had a good case, but might have to wait for a Labour Government before getting improvement.

The General Council stated in their report to Congress that M r. Marples had declined to reduce maximum driving hours because there was no evidence on grounds of road safety to justify doing so and described research which the Ministry proposed to undertake into the relationship between fatigue and driving hours. As the unions were unanimous in rejecting the Minister's arguments, the T.U.C. had written last October expressing dissatisfaction with his approach to the problem and asking him to reconsider his decision. They pointed out that the more enlightened employers recognized the changed conditions since the existing hours were fixed more than 30 years ago.

But others refused to do so and sometimes tended to argue that the maximum hours of driving were fixed by law and that 'there was therefore no case for a reduction. In his reply the Minister had reiterated his previous arguments and stated that he would continue research into the relationship between fatigue and driving.

B.R.S. Federation Fully Constituted

FOLLOWING the incorporation of the B.R.S. Federation as a limited liability company (The Commercial Motor, August 30) more details have been given, of the organization and membership of the Federation and its controlling council, whose formation was announced in The Commercial Motor of July 19.

The B.R.S. Federation is composed of 11 members, which are: the Transport Holding Company, British Road Services Ltd. (the general haulage concern), B.R,S. (Parcels) Ltd., B.R.S. (Pickfords) Ltd., 13.R.S. (Contracts) Ltd., B.R.S. (Meat Haulage) Ltd.. Anglo-Continental Container .Services (London) Ltd., AngloContinental Container Services (Belfast) Ltd., Ferry Trailers Ltd., N. Francis and Co. Ltd. and Thomas Rowe (Carriers) Ltd.

The Boards of the three major companies within the Federation have now been fully constituted. The managing director of British Road Services Ltd. is, as announced earlier, Mr. C. N. Christensen, and other board members are Mr. J. Freeguard, Mr. W. E. Macve, Mr. A. J. Wright and Mr. J. P. Young. Mr, P. W. Swindells is managing director of B.R.S. (Parcels) Ltd., Mr. J. L. Willoughby is general manager and the board members are Mr. C. W. Reeves, Mr. A. J. Wright and Mr. J. P. Young. B.R.S. (Pickfords) Ltd, has Mr. H. W. Elliott as managing director, Mr. G. Maclean as general manager and Mr. J. N. Drummond and Mr. C. W. Reeves are also on the board.

Mr. Christensen, Mr. Swindells and Mr. Elliott represent their respective companies on the council of the Federation, the Transport Holding Company being represented by Mr. G. W. Quick Smith and Mr. H. E. Osborn, while Sr Reginald Wilson (deputy chairman and managing director of the Holding Company) is chairman of the new council. Mr. T. G. Gibb .is the council's vicechairman and managing director.

The secretary of the Federation is Mr. E. G. Marsden and the Chief financial officer is Mr. C. W. Reeves. Four executives of British Road Services who have now been appointed to similar positions with the Federation are Mr. W. L. Morgan (chief engineer), Mr. P. J. Brett (personnel officer), Mr. 1'. Lancaster (surveyor and architect) and Mr. A. H. Passey (purchasing officer—formerly supplies officer with B.R.S.).

N. Ireland Pay Rise DRIVERS and helpers in Northern Ireland have been awarded a pay increase of I0s. a week by the Road Haulage Wages Council, the increase operating from September 10. The men affected are members of the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union and the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers.

Rates for drivers in the 1Belfast area will now range from £9 13s. to En 6s. rates elsewhere, except Londonderry, will be 10s. below the Belfast scale.


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