40-hour Week for Municipal Platform Staff
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MORE than 72,000 municipal busmen IVA are to get a 40-hour week from the end of the year. The decision, forecast in The Commercial Motor" on October 8, was taken at a meeting of the National Joint Industrial Council for Road Passenger Transport last week.
But, as also foreshadowed, there was no agreement on the claim for bonus payments and the dispute is now to be handled by the Ministry of Labour. Conciliation officers are due to see both sides of the Council shortly to find out the differences dividing them and to see what can be done to resolve them. The next step is likely to he a joint meeting under Ministry of Labour auspices and if this also fails to arrive at an agreed settlement, there may have to be some form of inquiry.
The breakdown on the bonus issue came over a penalty clause on unofficial strikes, which the employers insisted should form part of the agreement. They were willing to pay a bonus of 10s. a week to men and women with six months' service; 12s. 6d, a week for one year; 20s. for live .years. 25s. for 10 years and
30s, a week for 20 years. But they insisted that every time a busman took part in an unofficial stoppage he should lose half of his yearly bonus.
This proposal was quite unacceptable to the unions. They were not prepared to accept a condition which might mean that a long-service employee might lose up to E39 for taking part in a one-day stoppage. Clearly they thought that any disciplinary action—if one was needed— should conic from the union.
But Ald. Norman Harris. chairman of the Federation of Municipal Passenger Transport Employers, accused the unions after the meeting of not being interested in curbing unofficial strikes. " Our side was very mad ", he said afterwards, " The unions are only paying lip service to the idea of condemning unofficial strikes".
With the 40-hour issue set:led on the municipal side, the "ompany busmen, who have a similar claim in the pipeline, are expected to bring increased pressure to secure a similar reduction in hours for the 100.000 men and women on their side of the road passenger industry.
QUEEN OPENS NEW BUS STATION
ABUS and coach terminal in the new Seacroft Town Centre is to be opened by the Queen today (Friday). Seacroft is 44: miles from the centre of Leeds and its construction is the largest project of its kind ever undertaken within the boundaries of a large city in Britain. Originally a village on the outskirts of Leeds, Seacroft will, within five years, exceed the population of towns such as Carlisle. Exeter, Burnley. or Wakefield. The town centre itself, with multiple stores of all types, two restaurants, bowling centre and so on is adjacent to the I.eeds ring road and will be an attraction ()I major importance to residents living in the northern suburbs of Leeds and the country areas bordering the city.
Leeds City Transport extended four of its bus services to the new terminal last Sunday. and Mr. Arnold Stone. chief traffic officer, reported that these services were well filled on the first day of through operation. The bus station is unmanned, but it also makes provision for coach operators wishing to run excursions and private hire trips direct from Seacroft, instead of the centre of Leeds. A big build up in stage traffic is expected.