Winter wage offers
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THE FIRST wage offers of the winter have been made to lorry drivers' representatives, but it will be later this month at the very earliest before any agreements are reached.
Liverpool employers, who pay the highest national basic rate of £94 for 40 hours and a guaranteed rate of 55 plain time hours, offered Transport and General Workers Union representatives a 4.5 per cent increase on all grades. For drivers of 32.5 tonne vehicles, this would take the basic rate to £98.23.
They also offered to pay a £101.27 basic rate for drivers of 38-tonne vehicles, in line with that already agreed between the TGWU and some operators of 38-tonners in Liverpool. That rate equates to a guaranteed rate of £139.25.
The employers rejected the union's claim for a reduction in the working week, but offered to increase subsistence pay by 50p to £11.50.
This offer, which compared with a claim for a £100 basic rate for 32.5-tanners and a £2 increase in subsistence pay, was rejected by the TGWU and another meeting has been arranged for November 11.
An offer from London and South-East employers has also been rejected by the TGWU. There, the offer was for a £3.50 (3.8 per cent) increase on the £91 basic rate for 40 hours on 32.5tonners, with a pro-rata rate for lighter vehicles and a £2.50 supplement for 38-tanners.
They also offered 50p on subsistence, compared with a £2 claim. The basic claim was for £6 extra on basic pay with a 15 per cent supplement for 38-tonners, which amounted to a £14.55 bonus for the heaviest vehicles.
The next meeting there is on November 21.
Scottish drivers, who originally claimed a £103 basic rate (£10 extra) to get them back to the top of the wages league table, withdrew their claim (CM October 1) when they met employers last week, and instead submitted a revised claim for a £100 basic rate for 40 hours, with a 2 per cent supplement for 38tanners (£102 basic) instead of 15 per cent.
Instead of the earlier claim of £2 extra subsistence, they now want £1.25 to take them to the £11.50 tax-free limit set by the Inland Revenue.
Their sweeping claim for changes to overtime, holiday and other payments has been replaced by a simplified one for three days' bereavement leave and four days' paternity leave per year; employers to pay for medical examinations for drivers over 60; and employers' con sideration to be given to paying adult rates for 18-year-old drivers.
In Devon and Cornwall, employers have been advised to expect a claim in line with the TGWU's national policy of £6 on basic and £2 on subsistence. The present agreement is for £89.50 basic and £10 subsistence.
That area has finally reached agreement on a supplementary rate for driving 38-tanners. It is for a £5.50 bonus (basic rate now £95), backdated to May 1 where appropriate.