Minimum wage by '98
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by Karen Miles • Hauliers should be operating under a statutory minimum wage regime by next summer.
Legislation to introduce the concept of the national minimum wage is expected this year and its final implementation should follow soon afterwards.
Although the Government-appointed Low Pay Commission has yet to come up with an acceptable figure, the Transport and General Workers Union is urging hauliers who are paying less than £4 an hour to staff to move quickly to that level.
The TGWU, which represents around 120,000 lorry drivers, says: "Employers should not be waiting for legislation before paying decent wages." It will be lobbying for a minimum wage of £4.42 an hour.
The union estimates that thousands of drivers are earning around £3.50 an hour. The introduction of a statutory minimum above £4 would boost their wages— and would probably fuel pay demands from higher earners too.
However, the Road Haulage Association's employment controller Ruth Pott believes a minimum wage set around £3.75 an hour would have a minimal impact.
According to figures agreed by the eight remaining Joint Industrial Councils in England and Scotland (run jointly by hauliers and unions), nonLGV drivers are earning around £4 an hour while artic drivers are averaging £4.37.
11The JIC rates are nonbinding but act as guides from which RHA members, other hauliers and the unions traditionally begin to negotiate.