Hauliers are paying or pondering
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A DEMAND for a guaranteed 50-hour week appears to be the main stumbling block in the Southern area negotiations on haulage pay, where a strike is threatened for December 1. Within the area a meeting of 1500 drivers at Southampton on December 1 will also be considering strike action.
Devon and Cornwall are likely to face a "Scottish'' claim before the end of this month, and union meetings are scheduled — starting with one in Plymouth on December 12. RHA members are preparing to face the union on the _issue but' have yet to decide whether to form a group of assenting hauliers or negotiate individually.
In the RHA Western area, which is quiet, shop stewards are due to meet on December 12, while today the RHA area executive will be considering their attitude to any claim.
The South Wales negotiating committee this week agreed to restructure wages by licence class, with £32.50 for Class 3, £39 for Class 2 and £40 for Class 1; non-hgv and under-21 figures are yet to be settled. A guaranteed Monday/Saturday 40-hour week has been agreed, while annual holidays wilt be based on a 50-hour week at straight time. The area's costs working party is recommending a 25 per cent rates increase from January 1 In the Metropolitan and South Eastern area hauliers have been getting individual claims but the West Kent sub-area meets today to 'consider forming an assenting group The West Midlands agreement (similar to Scotland's) effective on December 2 includes £3.50 subsistence which absorbs the September 50p lunch agreement. In Scunthorpe and diE trict the union is askin hauliers for £40 for 40 hour across the board, a 50-hot guarantee, subsistence £4 or £5 where shop ste% ards have already claimi this, a meal allowance 75p a day, and holiday p. at time and one third, equal to average earninc whichever is greater.
In the Northern are "Scottish" agreements ha% been finalized in all 10 sul areas, effective from Noven ber 11 or December 1.
In the North West (Wes ern) area centred on Live pool, Association membe meet on Monday to exarnir another "Scottish" clair one of the stumbling blocl being a demand for a guara teed 50-hour week with ho days paid on the same basil All three RHA areas Yorkshire have signed agre rnents based on the Scotti! one.