Are Busmen Underpaid ?
Page 53
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IT appears from the figures given in your leader
(October 15) on London Transport's staff problems, that the normal wages for a 44-hour week for a driver are £8 16s. and for a conductor £8 I Is. 9d. I am sending with this letter the wage slips of a bus crew for a recent week. I would like you to note the hours paid for, the cash allowance and the gross wages. There is a big difference betwen these figures and those you quote.
As for the offer of an 11-day 88-hour fortnight, this was coupled with more irksome working conditions (a higher percentage of middle shifts and longer spreadover hours), and would have meant lower wages than can be obtained under the present agreement for a similar number of working hours.
As for "duty to the public," the public seem to forget that busmen are human beings like themselves, and object to being treated as part of a machine. I see no reason why I should have to work a longer day, or overtime, or give up my free time to serve the public.
When I first joined the ranks of the busmen there was no staff shortage, and there need not be one today. The remedy lies with the London Transport Executive.
Worcester Park. R. A. QUESTED.
[The figures regarding wages published in The Commercial Motor were obtained from official sources. Presumably, they were averages and that may account for the discrepancies alleged by Mr_ Quested. Referring to the two wage slips, one gives the gross pay as £8 5s. 3d. for 45 hours, and the other a Is. Id. for the same number of hours. The staff shortage is unfortunate, but is characteristic of the times, and is more pronounced in other industries. Mr. Quested does not explain how the L.T.E. could remedy the matter, but he presumably means by increasing pay. One industry can alway rob another of staff by, this means and whilst it may be satisfactory to the individual, it is not economic. The busman who holds a gun at the public instead of putting his grievances before his appointed representatives and having them settled in conference between them and the employer is not playing the game. To hit at the .public is to punish the innocent for the alleged wrong-doings of the employer.—En.] A LTHOUGH the rates of pay you gave may be r--1 enjoyed by some employees in the industry, they do not apply to those of Hants and Dorset Motor Services, Ltd. We work an average of 46.3 hours per week, and conductors earn 36.273d. per hour and
drivers 37.974d. These rates fall far short of the average earnings as given in your leader and as stated in the Ministry of Labour Gazette for September.
The gap between the earnings of men in this area and in other parts is wide and the only method of obtaining a good wage for the week is by working overtime. My own average for the past 28 weeks has been £7 16s. 5d.
Gosport. R. G. HIRBURD.
Let the Independents Return
IF we had had half a dozen independent operators of
buses in London, the recent strike would not have been nearly so widespread. London Transport has not been a success and its creation has been unfair to many bus manufacturers.
Before the former London Passenger Transport Board was set up, we had many makes on the streets of London, and those who produced them had a much fairer chance. Now we are forced to have only two makes.
' Hundreds of Guy buses were run in London during the war and they gave yeoman service. Dennis vehicles were popular with independent operators before the L.P.T.B. was formed. There are also many makers of . fine bodywork such as Duple and Willowbrook, who should be given the chance of producing bodies for London's millions.
I would like to congratulate the British Electric Traction Co., Ltd., George Ewer and Co., Ltd., and.. many smaller concerns on the way they fought the Labour Government's efforts to promote monopolies in transport. Give us back the independent operators and let us have a little variety on the streets of London, which would, no doubt, result in lower fares than those we pay today. I suppose that even these will have to be raised shortly.
London, N.22. R. L. MAY.
Safe Travel at 30 m.p.h. with Heavies
WHILE homeward bound to America on the M.V. " "Georgic," a copy of The Commercial Motor, dated August 20, came into my hands. Under " Opinions and Queries," I noticed a letter from W. F. Yorath, advocating the 30 m.p.h. speed limit for heavy lorries.
During July and August, I was in Scotland as summer supply pastor for St. James Parish Church, Forfar, Angus. On many of the roads there I observed lorries, carrying the 20 m.p.h. disc, travelling at at least 30 m.p.h. and-these roads had plenty of Z bends.
1 must add, however, that as a motorist, I received every courtesy from all the lorry drivers, who would wave me on in my small car whenever the road was clear for me to overtake. English and Scottish commercial-vehicle drivers certainly practise •" courtesy of the road." ,
Pennsylvania, U.S.A. (REV.) WILLIAM J. FRA7ER.
[It is interesting and satisfactory to learn that our correspondent was treated so courteously by lorry drivers. This is, however, nothing unusual, because letters referring to similar experiences are frequently received.. We under: stand the Rev. Frazer's surprise that there should be any need to apply for a 30 m.p.h. limit when many heavy vehicles do already travel at this speed, The point is, however, that, legally, it is wrong for them to do so and this position requires rectifying. This would be a great help to operators whose schedules must be arranged on the basis of the legal limit, which Makes for inefficiency, and is apt to cause drivers to waste time at points en route.--Ea]
"Those Who Can— Do HAVING read your report of the Road Haulage Association's conference (last week's issue), it seems to me that the most significant thing said during the whole proceedings was Mr. Frank Fowler's remark: "Let us get on with things that matter."
Manchester. " DOER.