COOL RECEPTION FOR LONDON TRANSPORT'S PAY-AND-EFFICIENCY PROPOSALS

1st May 1964, Page 53

1st May 1964

Page 53

Page 53, 1st May 1964 — COOL RECEPTION FOR LONDON TRANSPORT'S PAY-AND-EFFICIENCY PROPOSALS

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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

THE L.T.B. this week offered to

increase the pay packets of its 33,000 bus drivers and conductors by an average of 33s. a week. The offer, made at a second five-hour meeting with the busmen's negotiating committee of the Transport and General • Workers' Union on Monday, is in line with the recommendations of the recently published Phelps Brown committee of inquie■ report.

At the first meeting, held last Frida■. both sides expressed their broad agreement of the far-reaching recommendations contained in the report. But neither side was ready to come out 'with any hard proposals and the meeting was adjourned.

It was a very different matter when the two sides resumed on Monday. London Transport was ready, with its plan: This proposed an increase of 9s, a.week on basic rates to give an average increase of 10s. a week on rostered earnings, another 3s: a week in penalty payment for such things as spread-over duties, and an average of 20s. a week as an initial payment for efficiency measures. These would consist of three parts—a sum related to fares receipts. extra payinent based on the capacity of the vehicle worked and increased safety allowances.

The higher basic rates and penalty payment, it was proposed, would come into force immediately agreement was reached and the efficiency payment three months after the signing of .the agreement. But all the parts were to be dependent on acceptance of the efficiency proposals, which would include bigger busts, more one-man-operated vehicles and experiments with " standee " buses for rush-hour service.

In addition London Transport proposed that the comprehensive agreement should also provide for negotiations to take place between the Board and the Union to agree upon the terms of a shorter working week and for increases in annual holidays. What the Board had in mind was the replacement of the present 11-day, 84-hour fortnight by a 10-day fortnight of 80 hours and for an increase of holidays by an extra three days for men with five years' service. Finally, the Board was willing to talk with the Unions representing the principal grades of the Board's wages staffs with a view to increasing sick pay and pensions.

Although the proposals were very much in line with the Phelps Brown report, giving a central London bus driver a pay packet of 343s. a week something between the 335s. suggested to the committee by the Board and the 356s. demanded by the Unionthey met with a cool reception from the Union team, They argued for a larger increase in basic pay to be given first and the efficiency proposals to be discussed later. Finally, the meeting adjourned without reaching any conclusions and without fixing a date for another get-together, Although Some • busmen afterwards described the position as .deadlock this really goes a little too far. The proposals will be looked at again by the negotiating committee and no doubt they will go back to the Board for further talks. Ultimately they will have to go to a delegate conference of busmen who in the past have shown themselves hostile to any form of package deal, NEWS IN BRIEF

One-man Buses for Doncaster: Doncaster Corporation is proposing to buy 10 singledeck bus chassis to be fitted with 45-seatel dual-entrance bodies for. one-man operation. The chassis cost £2,493 each and the total cost of 'the bodies will be about £5.000; ii is hoped to have the new buses in use within a year. They will speed up the time taken by passengers entering and leaviag buses on one-man services.

New Contract for' Interline: The Ministry of Aviation has granted a long-term contraei to Interline Services of Harlington, Middlesex, to ferry passengers between aircraft and buildings at London Airport. The two State airlines B.E.A. and B.O.A.C., already carry their own passengers, and Interline have negotiated or are in . the process of negotiating contracts with many leading airlines s'uch as Pan American, T.W.A.. K.L.M., Aer Lingus; and so On. Initially Interline, sole independent passenger coach operators on the apron at L.A.P. will operate a fleet of 27 coaches, and an operations room has been established on the roof of No. 1 passenger building.

More Routemaster Coaches: London Transport is to introduce 50 more Routemaster 57-seat double-deck coaches next year. The vehicles form part Of a recent order for 350 Park Royal Routemasters (The Commercial Motor, January 17) and will bring the total of Routemaster coaches in service to 119. including the Eastern Coach Works-bodied prototype Leyland, which continues in service on route 720, Bigger Depot: The chairman of Middlesbrough Corporation transport committee, Aid. W. Flynn, opened the £37,000 extensions to the transport depot in Parliameni Road last week. In his opening speech he commented that the establishment of a single Greater Tees-side Authority might britv about an amalgamation of municipal made' takings. The extended depot can now bout( about 120 vehicles.