NO COVER FOR TRAINEES
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AT an inquiry held in Cardiff the Western Welsh Omnibus Co. Ltd. were said to have exposed trainee conductors to the hazards of industrial accidents, by refusing to Pay the employers' National Insurance contributions in respect of them. Held before an inspector of the Ministry of Pensions and National Insurance, the inquiry resulted from an application to the Minister by an 18-year-old conductor and employee of the company, Lynn Edwards, of Crumlin, Monmouthshire.
Mr. Leo Abse, M.P. for Pontypool, who appeared for Mr. Edwards and the Transport and General Workers' Union, told the inspector: "The issue, as you have indicated, is whether a trainee conductor; as is the appellant, during the course of his training, falls, for the purpose of the Insurance Act of 1946 into category 1, or is he to fall into categOry 3? " (i.e. not employed, for the purposes of the National Insurance Act, 1946, and the National Insurance Industrial Injuries Act of 1946).
The T.G.W.U. took a serious view of the matter and have been joined by the M.G.W.U. and N.U.R. in viewing this as a test case.
For the company, Mr. F. H. Pengelly, traffic manager, said that they had alwayS considered payment to trainee conductors ex gratia as they/ were not covered by national union agreements, adding: "But we do give them every care while they are with us."
The inspector's report is to be submitted to the Minister.