. . . and New Plan for Settling Disputes
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FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
ANOTHER important topic at last -r3. week's meeting of the National Negotiating Committee was labour relations—over which recent Midlands disputes have cast something of a cloud. But both RHA and union representatives reached firm agreement on new means of settling disputes, and the original clause dealing with conciliation has therefore been revised. In future local labour problems will be tackled like this, in six successive stages: (i) Any difference between employer and employees will first be examined by the appropriate level of management and the accredited trade union representative. While this examination takes place, the status quo will be preserved by both sides.
(ii) If no agreement is reached, then the union's district official will discuss the problem(s) with the management.
(iii) If there is still no solution, the regional or area officials of the RHA and the union will be called in to assist the parties.
(iv) Failure to reach a settlement at stage (iii) will mean referring the matter to the emergency sub-committee of the National Negotiating Committee.
(v) If the sub-committee cannot settle the dispute, it then progresses to the full committee.
(vi) Failure to agree in full committee means reference of the dispute, as a last step, to the Road Haulage Wages Council or to the conciliation department of the Ministry of Labour. It is stressed that the new procedure will not be allowed to cut across any negotiating system or agreement which an individual company may have with its employees or with a trade union.
Granary Takes Over Harrison's
THE haulage firm of Harrison's Ltd., of Swadlincote, Staffs, which operates some 15 vehicles, has been taken over by Granary Haulage Ltd., of Burtonupon-Trent, a subsidiary of The English Grains Co. Ltd.
Mr. George Burt has been appointed to the board of Granary Haulage.
New Seammen Address: The Bristol office of Scammell Lorries Ltd. is now located at Bath Road, Brislington, Bristol 4 (tel.: Bristol 70153).