Further Pay Talks in London
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FURTHER talks on pay for London's 53,000 bus workers were held yesterday between the London Transport Executive and the Transport and General Workers' Union. This was a surprise development following a delegate conference of the bus workers held last week.
Last week's conference had expected to be given an answer by the Union's executive council on their application for full plenary powers in future negotiatiCiris on pay. This would have given them the power to strike without reference tothe Union's executive.
They were apparently dissuaded from taking such a step at this stage by Mr. Frank Cousins, general secretary of the Union. After the conference, he said they had agreed that the L.T.E. should again be asked to meet the Union's negotiating committee "in order to see if we can make some progress on what is regarded by us all as a quite proper claim."
Mr. Cousins stressed that they were still seeking an extra £1 a week. . An earlier delegate conference rejected an offer by the L.T.E. of an additional 6s. a week for staff on Central London services, an 5s. a week for those on country buses, If granted in full, the claim would cost about £3m. a year.
FUEL TAX BILL NOW LAW THE measure authorizing the addition of Is, to the fuel tax, and permitting coach and bus companies to make emergency increases in fares to cover tax without reference to the Traffic Commissioners, is now law.
It is the Hydrocarbon Oil Duties (Temporary Increase) Act. It was passed last week after a difficult passage, during which it was severely criticized.
The Act provides that the extra Is. will be removed a month after rationing ends.
An additional clause allows, taxi operators outside London to charge an extra 6d. a journey. London taxicab fares will rise by 6d. today.
The final proceedings on the Bill are reported on page 718.