No Support for London Strikers E FFORTS to implicate the tram
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and trolleybus men in the strike of central London bus workers have com-pletely failed. Consequently, this week, the busmen entered alone the fourth week of their strike. Up to last Friday, the Transport and General Workers Union had disbursed between £90,000
and £100,000 in strike pay. • On Wednesday it was announced that the union executive had decided to assume responsibility for the further conduct of the dispute and the attendant negotiations. Previously, the busmen's committee had handled the strike. The executive holds that a settlement should be reached on the basis of the findings of the court of inquiry. The court's report was issued on Tuesday. It states that a practical remedy for the intensification of work does not lie in a general reduction of speed. Irregularity of hours and mealtimes is inseparable from bus operation. but, in the court's opinion, there are matters capable of adjustment, which give rise, in some cases, fo justifiable complaints.
Something might be done to alleviate the frequent alteration of schedules, Whilst local discussions on schedules or rotas might be held between representatives of the men and of the Board at the garage at which any complaint arises.
"Standing time and terminal facilities, in some cases, leave much to be desired," says the court's report. The remedy does not, however, lie wholly with the parties to the dispute, but rests with local authorities. The extension of the use of mobile canteens is recommended.
Although, in the court's Opinion, the claim of injury to workers' health by their conditions of2 employment wa.s not proved, a prima facie case wa3 made out for a further and immediate investigation by a properly qualified body.
, With a view to avoiding strikes in _ .
the future, the court suggests that a final investigation authority should be set up to hear appeals on any matter where the ordinary methods of negotiation fail. The court holds that it is imperative that such a body should be set up in the London Passenger Trans-port area.