Workers' Dispute in Industrial Court
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AFTER a protracted dispute between the United Counties Omnibus Co., Ltd., and its employees, which resulted in a strike in January of this year, the question of wages and conditions was brought before the Industrial Court, last week.
Mr. Harold Clay, of the Transport and General Workers Union, declared that the wages and conditions, as a whole, were unsatisfactory. The Union pressed for a wage of 72s. per 48-hour week for drivers and 66s. for conductors, irrespective of length of service.
A change in spread-over conditions was sought, as well as overtime payment at the rate of time and a quarter for the first two hours after 48 and time and a half thereafter. Time-anda-half payment was also urged for work on Bank Holidays. Mr. Clay asked that, if the Court could not support the claim of either of the parties, it should make a compromise award.
Mr. J. Howard Mills, general manager, in evidence, declared that, in his view, much of the recent discontent had been fomented by men who had been taken over from the independent companies and who had thus benefited in wages and conditions.
At present, new entrants to the company are paid on a lower scale than are the long-established employees.