Unions act to bar PIB probe
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By our Industrial Correspondent
Special loading deck construction for safer transport of excavators is a feature of this 40-ton Dyson Lightweight J model trailer with knock-out beck axles, operated by Walter Denton Ltd., of Sale, Cheshire. The central B ft -wide section of the loading bed la of in. steel chequer plate and the outer sections are of 3 in. -thick hardwoot‘ enabll ng the excavator trailers to gets better grip during loading and transport. The trailer can take the full 40-ton load concentrated on only an 8 ft length of the 22 ft. 13 in. bed if necessary.
THE IMPACT OF CONTAINERIZATION
THE CONTAINER revolution and its impact on distribution will be the theme of a three-day international conference in the London Hilton from November 7 to 9 sponsored by Freight Management. Leading authorities will contribute papers on such important features as: the attitude of shippers to containerization; the economics of containerization; and developments in Australia, the Pacific, the USA and Europe.
Visits will be made to container facilities at the London (Stratford) International Freight Terminal and Tilbury Docks, Essex. And a post-conference technical tour includes inspection of facilities at Southampton, Rotterdam, New York and San Francisco. Details from the organizers: Independent Trade Missions Ltd., 25 Queen Anne's Gate, London, SW1.
DARTFORD TUNNEL TWIN URGENT
ESSEX and Kent County Councils, jointly responsible for the 1963 Thames Dartford Tunnel, want Ministerial support for an early start on the construction of a 12m second tunnel duplicating the Dartford-Purfleet facilities.
The second tunnel has already been approved by Parliament. Experts advise that it will take four to five years to build the new tunnel in addition to the period which is bound to elapse while land is being acquired. But absolute capacity (40,000 vehicles a day) of the existing tunnel will be exceeded during week-ends by July, 1969.
Oldham By-pass Work Starts : Mrs. Barbara Castle has granted £2,274,946 to Oldham County Borough Council towards the £3,033.262 estimated cost of Oldham southern internal by-pass. It is planned to take through traffic between Lancs and Yorks away from A62.
ASEVEN-MAN union team representing the negotiating body for the road haulage industry voiced a strong protest this week at the Government plan for an inquiry by the Prices and Incomes Board into wages, charges and costs of the
industry.
Mr. Ray Gunter, Minister of Labour, broke off his Scilly Isles holiday and with Mr. Fred Lee, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and Mr. John Morris, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport, met the team at the Ministry of Labour.
Prime concern of the union men is the delaying effect the PIB inquiry would have on wage negotiations. Mr. Ken Jackson, national secretary of the TGWU commercial services group, who headed the delegation, said after the talks that the reference "would be nothing more or less than a tactic to delay urgent pay claims unnecessarily".
Union leaders stressed how "bad" drivers' basic rates are.
The unions are seeking a El a week rise across the board for the 200,000 men.
They also want better subsistence allowances and three weeks' holiday instead of the present two. Last year, hours were reduced from 42 to 41 a week and the unions are expecting to get this down to 40.
Mr. Jackson said the team felt there had not so far been any opportunity to utilize the voluntary machinery available—the TUC wage vetting committee.
Mr. Gunter asked certain questions and noted the replies. A decision is expected shortly but it is understood that the union plea is unlikely to prevent a reference being made should the Government think it necessary.
HAULIERS asked for PIB probe
PREMATURE REPORTS of the reference to the Prices and Incomes Board of road haulage costs, charges and wages have given a completely false impression, says the Road Haulage Association. The Association not only welcomes the inquiry, but itself suggested a reference to the Board several months ago.
The RHA adds: "There is no allegation by the Government departments concerned that hauliers are overcharging. On the contrary the investigation follows complaints by hauliers that they have been unable to put up their rates in spite of several unavoidable costs increases including some which result from direct Government action.
"The serious decline in the profitability of the road haulage industry is bound to be revealed by any impartial inquiry, and it is for this reason that the RHA took the initiative in asking for a reference to the Board on the question of costs and charges."
(Janus comments—page 80.)