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10-HOUR DAY AND 151 BONUS
Page 42
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B.R.S. Agree Terms for Operation at 30 m.p.h.: New Demands on Private Hauliers Expected
GREE M ENT has now been reached between British Road Services 1-1 and trade unions on terms for the operation of heavy goods vehicles at 30 m.p.h. A maximum working day of 10 hours and a bonus of 15 per cent. have been arranged. Drivers of vehicles under 3 tons unladen, as well as of "heavies," will benefit.
It is expected that the Road Haulage Association will shortly receive
a similar claim from the unions.
Announcing the agreement, B.R.S. said: "The effect of the increase in speed limit will be to enable the work content of the present • working day of drivers and mates to be carried out in less hours with a better utilization of vehicles,
"The basis of the agreement now reached is that, in general, the working day will be reduced by one hour, with a maximum working day of 10 hours, but without loss of earnings or present work content. To meet the changed conditions there will be a bonus payment of 15 per cent, added to basic rates.
[Clarifying this point, a representative of B.R.S. told The Commercial Motor that men would receive 55 hours' pay for 50 hours' work and that the bonus would be additional to the new basic rate for 44 hours.]
Home at Night
" In parallel with this, it has been agreed that duty schedules shall be adjusted, within a normal maximum of 10 hours, to take advantage of the higher average speed now permissible under the new regulations. Wherever possible, the regular long-distance work will be scheduled on a change-over basis to enable as many men as possible to return to their home base at the end of the day's work, instead of having to spend their rest periods away from home,
" It has been further agreed that during the period schedules are being reviewed the opportunity will be taken to iron out the local anomalies and divergencies from standard practice that have developed over the years.
"The revision of the duty schedules will of necessity take some time to complete, 'because schedules will have to be discussed with the representatives of the staff at the appropriate level. When these schedules have been agreed, a common date for the operation of both the new duty schedules and the bonus payment will be decided.
• "The foregoing arrangements will apply to all vehicles of over 5-ton carrying capacity. In order to bring the smaller categories Of vehicle into line, the work content will be examined in joint consultation and related to what can be carried out within 10 hours. A bonus payment, similar to that for heavy vehicles, will be made on the work being performed within the new hours determined, which will be 10 hours or less.
138 "The trade unions have promised full co-operation, through the joint consultative machinery which exists in British Road Services, in effecting the necessary operational changes."
R.H.A. Comment Commenting on the agreement, the R.H.A. said that they had been discussing with the unions the position of drivers affected by the increase in the speed limit, and particularly any increase in productivity.
"It is expected that the trade unions will shortly make suggestions for putting into effect the two principles on which agreement has already been reached: namely, that no worker shall be paid less for doing the same work and that workers will share any increase in productivity," they said.
The matter will be considered by the national executive committee of the Association on June 26.
When questioned by The Commercial Motor, a union representative said that, having conceded that the increase in the speed limit of heavy vehicles would now permit what was formerly done in 11 hours to be done in 10 hours, the unions had insisted that there should be no loss of earnings for driving staff.
Lost Overtime
If, for example, a driver had formerly worked 55 hours per week (five 11-hour days) and in future did the same work in 50 hours (five 10-hour days), the loss of earnings would not be merely five hours, but five hours at time and a half, or 7+ hours at basic rate. This figure, in relation to the new total hours of 50, represents 15 per cent.
This bonus of 15 per cent, on the basic rates will apply regardless of the total hours worked. Because of the incidence of time-and-a-quarter rates for the first six hours of overtime, the 15-per-cent, increase on basic rates would give a greater advantage than the actual loss of earnings.
, WEATHER HELPS WHITSUN COACH OPERATORS
UNSETTLED weather on WhitMonday relieved the usual pressure on late coaches from the holiday resorts to Victoria Coach Station, London. An official said that passengers returned home earlier and so spread the load.
From an operating point of view the holiday period was excellent," he said. "The number of people carried was about equal to last year's figures."