£33,000 wages increase in 1968
Page 18
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FOLLOWING the settlement of the busmen's pay disputes, comes a stern warning from Mr. John Spencer Wills, chairman of East Yorkshire Motor Services Ltd.
He said that only genuine productivity should be the foundation of further wage increases. While he said his company would follow the recommendations of the National Council, wages and salaries had absorbed 63.6 per cent of revenue last year, and the latest increases would add £33,600 to next year's bill. would be able tO decide for itself what services and facilities it provided.
Mr. Heseltine also asked at what rate it was intended to replace the existing buses with one-man buses in the four areas, and what calculations she bad, made, in preparing her proposals, of the cost of changing over the existing bus fleets. Mr. Swingler replied that the replacement rate of vehicles and the extent of one-man operation would be a matter for each PTA Executive and other bus operators to determine. The cost of replacement would vary according to the number and types of vehicles involved. In short, Mrs. Castle has made no calculations.
Another question of Mr. Heseltine's was what estimkes the Minister had made on what would be the additional number of drivers required as a result of the proposed reduction in work hours. He asked what estimates she had made of the additional cost in wages and benefits to the four areas for the extra drivers that would be required. Again Mr. Swingler replied that the extent to which additional drivers might be required and changes in total cost of employing drivers would depend on the adjustments made in the bus undertakings concerned.
Mr. Heseltine received a similar answer when he asked what economies •would arise from centralized purchasing, rationalization of services, vehicle standardization and so on. The savings and economies would depend on the policies adopted by the PTA executives, said Mr. Swingler.
Clearly a great deal is being left to the PTAs. Much will depend on the quality and experience of those chosen to head such bodies.