Haulage Workers Want Extra 13s.: B.R.S. Settle for 7$. to 10s.
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IT has been revealed that the Transport and General Workers Union I have demanded from the National Joint Industrial Council for the road haulage industry and from British Road Services an increase of 13s. a week in the basic wages of road haulage workers. B.R.S. announced on Tuesday evening a settlement for amounts ranging from 7s. to 10s. a week, dated from last Monday.
If granted in full, the claim would cost the haulage -industry about £6m. a year.
Sell B.R.S. Assets F.B.I. Secretary
" wE hope that every effort will be made to dispose of the road transport assets of the British Transport Commission," Mr. D. L. Walker, general secretary of the Federation of British Industries, said at the annual meeting of members in Scotland last week.
He was emphasizing the importance of keeping down transport costs, which was, he said, why better roads were needed. For the same reason, the Federation had supported the greater freedom given to the railways to offer competitive rates for traffic. "But," he said, " if there is to be real competition, there has to be a strong and independent road service."
TELEGRAM TO CHANCELLOR
ATELEGRAM, worded as follows, was sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer last week by Mr. Peter Yorke, national director of the British Omnibus Companies Public Relations Committee: "Note that tax on luxury fur coats further reduced by one-third to 50 per cent. Tax on fuel oil used by buses for essential purposes remains at fantastic rate of nearly 250 per cent."
An increase of 10s. a week has been awarded to some 8,000 B.R.S. workers, 9s. to 16,000 workers, 8s. to 8,000 and 7s. to 6,000. It has been agreed that the night rate shall be increased from 6d. an hour to a fifth of the hourly plain-time rate. The main grades covered are foremen, drivers, mates, bank staff and other operating employees.
The T.G.W.U. originally asked for an extra Is. an hour for night work.
The T.G.W.U., Scottish Horse and Motormen's Association, and United Road Transport Workers' Association were concerned in the negotiations.
B.R.S. have again cut the ground from under the feet of independent hauliers, whose representatives on the N.J.I.C. will now have to follow suit.
This is the situation that they will have to face when the N.J.I.C. meet next Wednesday.
It is apparently unlikely that the employers would make the raising of the speed limit on heavy goods vehicles to 30 m.p.h. a condition of acceptance of the wage claim. This matter was introduced by an employer after the demand had been submitted, and the Union would require it to be treated separately.