Wage unrest in western England
Page 6
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
HAULAGE drivers in Kent and accept Scottish-style £5.50 wage highly unlikely in the West of En Transport and General Workers Union negotiators are recommending Kent drivers to accept a deal which would raise the 40-hour rate for 32.5 tonne lorry drivers to £99, with a prorate increase for mates and other workers.
The differential for drivers of 38-tonners is being raised by 50p to £3.50, making a top rate of £102.50, and overnight subsistence rises by 75p to £11.50. Sickness and accident benefits are to be reviewed.
A deal struck in Sheffield between the employers and the TGWU and United Road Transport Union, both of which are recommending acceptance, would raise the 32.5 tonne basic rate to £100.90.
The differential for 38-tonners rises from £2.60 to £4, that rate rising to £104.90 (previously £98). Overnight subsistence rises by 50p to £11.50.
Offers have also been made Sheffield are being advised to rise offers, but agreement seems gland.
by East Midlands and Leeds/Bradford hauliers, but union negotiators are referring them to drivers without recommendation.
The East Midland offer is for £5 on the £94.90 32.5-tonne basic rate, a 25p improvement on their earlier offer (CM, December 8), with pro-rata increases on other grades.
For 38-tonners that represents a £5.27 increase on the £100 basic rate paid at present. Overnight subsistence would rise by 50p to £12. Discussions are planned for a later date to agree changes in sickness, accident and other benefits.
The Leeds and Bradford offer would raise the 21 tonne and over carrying capacity rate (which equates to other areas' 32.5 tonne rate) from £94.50 to £100.
The 18 to 21 tonne rate would rise from £93.66 to £99.10; the 15 to 18 tonne rate from £92.84 to £98.40; the 10 to 15 tonne rate from £96.01 to £97.50; the five to 10 tonne rate from £90.37 to £95.70; and the one to five tonne rate from £89.54 to £94.80.
Drivers of 38-tonners are not paid a flat rate differential for driving 38-tonners in Leeds and Bradford, but a £1.80 daily supplement which would rise to £1.90 if the offer is accepted. 'Drivers using 38-tonners for three or more days are paid for five days' work, taking the top basic rate to £109.50.
The overnight subsistence rate rises by 65p in the offer to £11.65, and there would be increases in sickness, accident, severance and death benefits.
Western hauliers offered to increase wages by five per cent on the highest offer made (and rejected) last year, but this offer was rejected and no further meetings of the joint industrial council are planned in the current round.
It would have raised the 32.5 tonne rate to £98.38.