Bus Wages—Now the Reckoning
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From our Industrial Correspondent THE long-drawn-out dispute in the I provincial bus industry oVer pay and conditions is over at last—bar the final approval.
Following the pattern set in the municipal side af the industry, the Board of Arbitration, under the chairmanship of Mr. D. J. Robertson, awarded a pay rise of I Is. a week to 100,000 men employed by private and B.T.C.-controlled undertakings.
Now comes the reckoning. The award, which is back-dated to May 10,.will cost the affected undertakings at least £3,000,000 a year.
Taken together with the extra costs falling on bus companies as a result of the Budget proposals, there will be some anxious totting up of figures in the board rooms. It seems unlikely that all the extra costs can be absorbed and applications for permission to raise fares are virtually certain.
The lls. award to bus crews brings the basic pay of a bus driver to £10 2s. 6d. a week and that of a conductor to £9 18s. 6d.
In addition, the arbitration board
decided that work on Saturdays after 1 p.m should be paid at time and a quarter and that there should be special payments for early and late duties.
For duties starting up to 3.59 a.m. there should be an allowance of 2s. per duty and from 4 a.m. to 4.59 a.m. of ls, 6d. a duty. At the other end of the day duties scheduled • to finish. between 12.1 and 1 a.m. should carry an allowance of is. 6d. per 'duty and those finishing after 1 a.m.. 2s, per duty.
They also decided that double time should be paid for public holidays. specified in the agreement.
For skilled maintenance men working in central garages and running sheds there • is to be an increase of 6d. an hour, or 21s. per week on the standard 42-hour week.
The award, which is not binding, has now to he considered by the two sides. The six unions which make up the trade union side are expected to meet shortly and to give their approval. Though the award is nowhere near their claim for about 25s. a week, the improvements in conditions are more generous than those awarded to the municipal men.