Wages am ugar candy
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KICKING off the open discussion session, one of the delegates returned to the wages negotiation theme.
Mr T. Burt (Jacmil Transport Ltd, Hull) wondered how realistic the Association was in pressing for a National Joint Industrial Council in the present atmosphere of union opposition.
Should not the Association take the view of hoping for the best while preparing for the worst? he asked. Mr Burt thought it would be a good idea if the labour relations committee met the assenting hauliers groups to define the negotiating lines to be pursued in the next few months.
RHA chairman, Jack Male, saw no reason why such a meeting should be held.
Mr J. B. Midgley (J. B. Midgley and Son, Leeds area) said that in his own area talks ' were going on that very day.
"The unions do not see wages and subsistence as the only matters of importance,' he said.
Mr George Newman, RHA director-general, pointed out that the members had "made a big impression on Mr Mortimer, the chairman of ACAS.
"We should not give the impression that we think an NJIC is a remote possibility — I do not believe it is."
In a fighting speech which won loud applaud, Mr Barry Hempsall, (Hempsall Transport, East Midlands) said that the industry had not come through masses of restrictive legislation "because it was made of sugar candy."
It was the policy to stick out for an NJIC and the Association should stand by its guns for what it believed was right. Areas should if necessary be dissuaded from negotiating with unions until the matter was resolved.
Mr C. W. Bridge (C. W. Bridge General Haulage Ltd, Eastern area) said the conference should not go bi-ennial.
At his first ever conference, Mr J. J. Masters (E. J. Masters Ltd, Met and South East) said that he had been very impressed. It was important that they did not act like a bankrupt industry.
Mr Good then proposed that the conference "indicate to the national council" their belief that the annual meeting remain in its present form.
This was agreed with only one against, although the vote is not binding on the national council.
Mr W. H. May (W. H. May Transport Ltd, West Midlands) commented that in earlier years the conference had discussed resolutions from each area.
A similar idea had already been discussed at national council, said Mr Hempsall. "There has been a suggestion that the RHA comes out with a programme of action for the coming 12 months.
"This should be put to members in the sessions."