Drivers agree speed-up
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• Rises of 22 per cent—about £3 a week —on the basic rate are to be paid out to drivers at a Birmingham haulage company this weekend.
They have been granted under a new pay and productivity deal with F. Lewis and Sons of Aston (Birmingham)—and the deal is almost certain to become a pacemaker in the Midlands area.
Its terms are still under consideration by the Ministry of Employment and Productivity.
It is clear, however, that Mr. Alan Law, Midlands haulage official of the Transport and General Workers' Union, will be using the agreement to sound out other employers along similar lines.
Drivers at Lewis's have agreed to run at the maximum permitted speed of 40 mph on restricted roads; and to do 70 mph on motorways. This will raise average speeds from about 22.5 mph to around 28 mph (38 mph on motorways). In return, they get more holiday pay and higher redundancy compensation in case of sackings.