What the Associations
Page 57
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
Are Doing
MUNICIPAL WAGE GRADING PROTESTS BY C.M.U.A.
Acceptance of higher wage rates by local authorities in its territory has been the subject of a strong protest by the C.M.U.A. South-East Lanes Area and direct communications have been addressed to the councils concerned.
Through the Whitley Council, Lancashire and Cheshire authorities recently accepted wages and conditions similar to those laid down for the haulage industry by the National Joint Conciliation Board. This means that Grade I wages will be paid in many cases.
Members of the South-East Lanes Area C.M.U.A. and Amalgamated Horse and Motor Owners' Association (joint organization) have not accepted the principle of Grade I and the attendant conditions, but insist on Grade II, with modified conditions. The protest, it is understood, says that, in agreeing to wages and conditions without consulting the recognized employers' organizations in the area, the local authorities have set up an unfair precedent.
Certain authorities concerned, it is alleged, whilst agreeing to the higher rates of wages, are accepting only such haulage tenders as are too low to permit of the contractors paying anything like Grade I wages.
More Lectures by S.T.R.
Further lectures by S.T.R., The Commercial Motor costs expert, have been arranged by A.R.O. On June 7, at 8 p.m., he will address a meeting under the auspices of the Association's Devizes Sub-area, at the Elm Tree Hotel, Devizes.
The following evening, at 8 p.m., S.T.R. will lecture to operators in the Dorset and West Hants Area, at the Longfleet Hotel, Poole.
Scottish Officers Appointed.
At the annual business meeting of the Scottish Road Passenger Transport Association, at Pitlochry, last Saturday, Mr. J. N. Wilson, Glasgow Corporation's transport manager, was elected president. Other officials were appointed as follow :—
Vice-president, Bailie Adam Mi/lar, Edinburgh. Committee: M. H. Taylor, Dundee; Mr. R. M'Leod, Sir William J. Thomson, and Mr. R. Beveridge, Edinburgh; Councillor Thomas Mitchell, and Mr, A. Smith. Aberdeen; and Bailie Reid, Glasgow; secretary and treasurer, Mr, Robert Watson, Edinburgh.
Nation Depends on Road Transport.
The life of the nation is dependent upon road transport, said Mr. F. F. Fowler, chairman of the London and Home Counties Division of the C.M.U.A., at a meeting at Bournemouth, last week.
Despite this fact, however, the nation had not given road transport a fair deal, the public having no idea of the difficulties which the industry had to face.
Further legislation and restrictions were threatened, and would be imposed unless operators fought against them tootti and nail. Mr. J. L. Kinder, national organizer, said that the weakness of the roadtransport industry lay in its lack of unity. The railways, with their 100per-cent. organization, speak with one voice. Our weakness is the railway's strength.
The C.M.U.A. was endeavouring, said Mr. Kinder, to develop road-transport opposition to such a pitch that the railways would seek to work with us, on our terms, as against the present position where they appear to be able to dictate terms to us, which, in many cases, we have no option but to accept.
A.R.O. Branch for Caterham.
Following a well-attended meeting at Caterham on Monday, it was decided to form a Caterham Sub-area of A.R.O. Major Eric Long, J.P., was the principal speaker at the meeting and called all operators to take an active part in the fight for freedom for road transport. ROAD TRANSPORT BOOSTED AT LUTON EXHIBITION.
Strong road-transport propaganda was a feature of the Luton Municipal and Bedfordshire Industries Exhibition, which closed last Saturday. As already reported in The Commercial Motor, A.R.O. Luton Sub-area had a stand at the Exhibition, and a striking display of posters did much to attract public attention. A map showing routes served by local hauliers and specially prepared booklets, including details of all the services run by them, occupied a prominent position on the stand.
Through the co-operation of The Commercial Motor, copies of this paper were available for distribution to the public and did much to call the stand to the notice of passers-by.
Major H. E. Crawford, president of A.R.O., Major the Hon. Eric Long, and Mr. y. FE. Pye visited the stand.
To conclude the Exhibition, a dinner has been arranged to be held at Luton on June 11, at which the Rt. Hon. Dr. E. Leslie Burgin, M.P., Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Trade, has consented to speak.
200 Linos Operators to Join A.R.O.?
It is understood that over 200 North Lincolnshire transport owners are considering seceding from the Lincolnshire Transport Association, and joining A.R.O. The recent annual meeting was adjourned without any official being elected, the Scunthorpe members stating that they would consider forming a local association of their own, directly affiliated to the national body in London.
The position will be discussed at a further meeting of North Lincolnshire owners to-morrow (May 29).
C.M.U.A. Discusses 2,000 Offences.
Asserting that there are now approximately 2,000 offences which road users may commit, Mr. C. Smith, a member of the National Council of the C.M.U.A., dealt in detail with the acts and Regulations governing the roadtransport industry, at a meeting of the Association at Uxbridge, on Monday. He urged the need for a thorough understanding of the regulations and he explained the effect of many of the more important ones.
Capt. J. R. Maidens, also a member of the National Council, spoke on the Association's policy. Mr. J. L. Kinder, national organizer, was in his usual good form, and he called for recruits to help in the fight for justice for the industry. Mr. G. M. T. Rouse, chairman, called for co-operation between all classes of road user.
Following the discussion it was deckled that a series of meetings should be held, to discuss different aspects of the industry's problems.
New Offices for London A.R.O.
As from June 1, the offices of A.R.O. Metropolitan Area will be transferred to Romney House, Marsham Street. London, S.W.1.