Minister to Conciliate on Municipal Claim?
Page 45
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
From Our Industrial Correspondent MPLOYERS and union leaders of 1---d 70,000 municipal busmen failed to
make any progress when they met to discuss the men's three-point claim in London last week. At the end of a six hour session they decided to ask the Minister of Labour, Mr. Ray Gunter, to conciliate between them.
There was really only one point of agreement during the long meeting of the
National Joint Industrial Council for the Road Passenger. Transport Industry and that had nothing to do with the claim.
they decided _unanimously to send a telegram to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. James Callaghan, and to the Minister of Transport. Mr. Tom Fraser, expressing their deep concern at the increase in fuel tax. 'Their message pointed out that ihe industry was already penalized by the existing tax, about which strong representation had been made to previous Chancellors.
But on the claim itself there was complete deadlock. The employers were ready to take their differences to arbitra tion, hut Mr. Sam Henderson, .national passenger group secretary of the Trans port and General Workers' Union, said afterwards that the unions felt that this stage had not yet been reached.
The employers told the unions that the industry faced grave financial problems and that they were not prepared to consider the pay claim, which was for a " substantial " increase, until a subcommittee had reported on a second claim, for a bonus scheme. • This bonus. the unions say, should be something on the tines of that negotiated for the London busmen earlier this year.
giving extra payments based on passenger receipts and/or carrying capacity or the various types of public service vehicles, including one-man buses. The third claim, for a 40-hour week, was also referred to a sub-committee.
The Minister of Labour's first move now is likely to be to call both sides of the industry for exploratory talks with his conciliation officers to see whether there is any scope for conciliation. At first these meetings are expected to be with each side separately. Then, if there is any hope of progress. the " peace makers" may call a joint meeting under their own chairmanship in an effort to narrow the differences.