More pay claims on the way
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HAULAGE contractors, having met a drivers' wage demand, are about to be confronted with two more. This time from administrative and maintenance staffs. Reports from Scotland, the Midlands. London and the South East indicate that claims from these sectors of industry to restahlish their differentials with drivers are imminent.
Depot managers, traffic managers and engineers are expected to submit claims of between 25 and 45 per cent. Employers told Cl'! this week that in the circumstances they would almost certainly have to pay up.
Traffic operators are traditionally recruited from experienced driving staff and many of them eventually are promoted to depot managers. There is on average a ratio of one operator to 15 vehicles and their salaries range from £2,500 to £3,000 a year plus expenses and company cars. The latest drivers' increase with overtime and bonus payments has put them into the £5,000 per year bracket and traffic men are now demanding either a proportionate increase in salary or a return to driving duties.
Depot managers, who are recruited from the traffic staff and at the moment are earning upwards of £5,000 a year in a 40-vehicle fleet in the London area are reported to be asking for £7,000 a year.
Last week an official of the TGWU told CM that he thought one solution would be to pay the administrative staff average drivers' earnings plus a differential uplift of around 30 per cent for operators and 50 per cent for depot managers.
Claims from motor mechanics are expected to be in the region of 40 per cent and one operator said this week: "With the constant threat of GV9s and curtailment of licence, we are in no position to contest a differential claim."