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Big London Transport Bus Pay Claim

1st September 1961
Page 28
Page 28, 1st September 1961 — Big London Transport Bus Pay Claim
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT

DESPITE the Government's wages pause, a new pay claim on behalf of London's 40,000 busmen is to be presented to the London Transport Executive. In fact, the claim can be regarded as a deliberate challenge to the

Chancellor of the Exchequer's policy by Mr. Frank Cousins and the Transport and General Workers' Union.

The decision to go ahead with the three-point claim was taken at last week's meeting of the union's finance and general purposes committee. They will ask for: a rise in wages— amount unspecified; time and a half for all work done after 1 p.m. on Saturdays. in place of the present time and a quarter; less Week-end working.

But there will be no mention of the original claim for a reduction of the working fortnight from 84 to 80 hours. This has apparently been dropped for the time being.

Mr. Sam Henderson, national secretary of the passenger transport section of the union. who will present the claim, was not clear how week-end work ing could be reduced. But he stressed that it was extremely unpopular with his members, placing them at a disadvantage with other workers.

25s. Last Year

The new claim comes only ten months after the biggest pay rise ever granted to the London busmen. Under an agreement reached last October they received a rise in their basic pay of 18s. which, together with other benefits, brought them an average increase of 25s. a week. The new claim applies to garage maintenance men, as well as drivers and conductors.

As the London Transport Executive will be bound to heed the Chancellor's exhortations, the London busmen may well find themselves in the forefront of the unions' struggle against the Government's policy.


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