LT 's recruitment drive will cost millions
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• London Transport's nine-point package to attract a larger slice of London's scarce labour market was officially unveiled at the weekend — and it could cost LT between £10m and £20m.
Included in the package (CM August 10) are plans to employ women and 18-yearold youths as bus drivers, and make it possible for 17-year-olds to become"conductors.
Union reaction in the main to the plan is favourable. But the move to ask the Government to reduce the age for bus drivers and conductors has been described by the TGWU as "irresponsible".
Mr Larry Smith. national secretary of passenger services for the Transport and General Workers' Union, said: "We agree with the main proposals. But wanting to reduce the age of conductors from 18 to 17 and the age for drivers from 21 to 18 is totally irresponsible.
"We think it is totally wrong for an 18-year-old to be in charge of a bus and the lives of its passengers," he said.
Mr Smith thought that this sort of approach to the staff shortages was "the wrong way of going about things.
"When there was a shortage of conductors, they thought women were the answer. But look at the situation now — LT are still 3000 conductors short."
The answer to shortages, so far as the TGWU is concerned, is to make the jobs more "socially acceptable".
Mr Smith: "If you reduce shifts to a single four hours at the weekend, shorten the working day to seven hours and increase wages, this would make the job more attractive. Working the staff you've got to the limit only discourages people".
Staff shortages have hit both bus and Underground services for some months now. LT is short of 7550 workers. Its full complement is 63,000.
There are 4500 vacancies on buses for drivers and conductors, and 1350 jobs in the engineering departments.
But Sir Richard emphasized that his package will be governed by Phase Three of the Government's Prices and Incomes legislation.
He said: "Unless we can be given some flexibility under Phase Three to enable us to be really competitive in the difficult : labour market and to offer staff rewards which are commensurate with their special duties, the prospects for 1974 are bleak".
He wants; higher earnings; pensions comparable with the public sector; special premium payments for work outside normal factory hours; staff status after five years' service; improved holidays; new travel concessions for the families of all LT staff, including unrestricted free travel for wives throughout the LT system; more staff housing and mortgage arrangements; and the employment of women as drivers.
Sir Richard added: "It is not a question of whether we can afford it. It is a question of can we afford not to have a public transport system in, London".