NO RUSHED PRODUCTIVITY AGREEMENTS WILL QUALIFY
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THE eagerly awaited interim report of the
Prices and Incomes Board published yesterday offers little cheer to any transport firm seeking to escape the consequences of the freeze by a productivity agreement—unless really adequate preparation was commenced some months ago.
The Board anticipates that many sections of industry and transport will thoroughly explore the possibilities of improving their efficient use of capital and labour resources in the future; but it stresses that the preparation, negotiation, and implementation of a sound productivity agreement is a lengthy process. Hence "any attempt to begin preparing a comprehensive productivity agreement now as a means of paying workers more during the period of severe restraint would be unlikely to meet the requirements of the Board".
Desiderata listed for schemes to qualify for approval include the following: more exacting work or a major change in working practices must be shown; forecasts of increased productivity must be based on proper work-standards; there must be effective controls to ensure payments are not made in advance of productivity improvements; a clear benefit to consumers is expected; extravagant awards likely to provoke resentment outside are deprecated.
Of the five productivity agreements studied by the Board in preparing this interim report, at least two relate to transport operations. The schemes of Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd. and British Oxygen Co. Ltd. are examined. The Board stress the gain to Esso and to the nation of the greater utilization of expensive vehicles through shiftwork.
Takeover: L Sterne and Co. Ltd., has acquired the share capital of Adrolic Engineering Co. Ltd., Milngavie.