Bus Pay: Municipal Settlement
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FROM OUR INDUSTRIAL CORRESPONDENT
THE first half of the dispute over pay and conditions of 170,000 provincial busmen was settled unexpectedly quickly last week. Only a week after it finished its hearings, the board of arbitration under the the chairmanship of Sir Ronald Morison, Q.C., announced its findings for the 70,000 men and women employed in municipal undertakings.
It awarded an increase of I Is. a week, starting with' the first full pay period following April 13. The increase applies to drivers and conductors, as well as to semi-skilled and unskilled maintenance men, with proportionate increases for juveniles.
The award was far short of the unions' claim of about 25s. to bring them into line with London Transport's country bus services. But against that the employers had felt unable to make any offer at all. The unions had also asked for improved conditions.
Here the board found that the claim for a seven-hour day had not been established and it also decided against time and a half for Saturday working. On the claim for extra pay for early and late duties, the board decided to make no award.
The board's findings are not binding on either side. But it is expected that they will be accepted by both sides when they meet during the Week.
It now seems that the 100,000 employees in private undertakings can look forward to a similar pay rise, as their claim, also due to go to arbitration, is almost identical to that of the municipal employees.
Another increase in bus fares all over the country is inevitable as a result of the latest pay award. Total cost of the award in Edinburgh is likely to be about 000,000 a year, in Glasgow £240,000, and in Birmingham between £400,000 and £500,000.