Three Areas to Fight Grade I Wages
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TOINT action to oppose the introduc tion of Grade I wages in the Northern, North-Western and Yorkshire Traffic Areas, was decided upon at a meeting of the employers' panels of the three Area Boards, at Leeds, last Saturday.
The meeting was called following the announcement of the awards on the wages appeals from the three areas. which were reported in last week's issue. The decision by the employers' panels is a reaffirmation of the resistance which they jointly decided upon some months ago, and which resulted in the question of the permanent settlement going to the appeals committee of the National Board.
B40 The fact that the wages awards are not due to come into operation immediately affords some breathing space. It is believed that during this period the employers' panels of the three areas will, in consultation with each other, formulate counter-proposals, which they will put before the workers' panels of the respective Area Boards.
If the workers' representatives refuse to accept the counter-proposals, a grave position may arise. It is suggested that the employers' panels may set the National Board at defiance by recommending operators to put the counterproposals into operation, holding that they fulfil the fair-wages clause of the Road Traffic Act, and fight a test case on the matter. It is also suggested that the employers' panels in the three areas may resign from the Boards.
Some hope seems to centre, however, on the possibility that, in the meantime, there may, as the result of action by the A.R.O., be radical changes in the constitution of the employers' panel of the National Board.
The employers' panel of the Yorkshire Board met in Leeds, on Monday, and decided to notify the Yorkshire employees' panel and the National Board of its refusal to accept Grade I wages. It is contended that with the present condition of the industry, the payment of Grade I wages in Yorkshire is economically impossible.