Liverpool agrees £89
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SCOTTISH hauliers and trades union negotiators meet on Monday next week, following the drivers' rejection of an offer which would have given them a top-weight basic of £88.
A new top-of-the-league basic rate has been established in Liverpool, where an agreement has been reached on an £89 basic rate for 40 hours, with subsistence rising from £10 to £10.50, and night rate from 50p to 52p.
The 280-mile limit, which the employers wanted to abolish, has been raised instead to 320 miles, and the 50-hour guaranteed week remains.
These changes are backdated to January 4, but sickness and accident benefits are increased from March 1.
An agreement has also been reached with the Transport and General' Workers Union in Lancashire, Cheshire, and Greater Manchester, giving a 6.17 per cent increase in top-weight basic to £86. Subsistence rises from £9.75 to £10.25.
Road Haulage Association North Western area secretary Bill Farnorth told CM that he hoped a similar deal would be concluded with the United Road Transport Union later this week.
A sub-committee is looking into sick pay improvements and to try to establish more formal negotiations between the TGWU and Road Haulage Association.
York and District hauliers have concluded a £5 across the board deal, giving top-weight drivers £85 basic and £10 subsistence. The sickness and accident benefits are to be reviewed.
Metropolitan and South East drivers have voted to accept their £87 basic rate with £10.25 subsistence.
The other areas of impasse, South Wales and North East England, looked no worse as we closed for press on Tuesday. A meeting between employers and union was arranged for Thursday in South Wales, and the results of a ballot of North East drivers over whether they would accept a £5 offer which has not yet been made by the employers will not be known for another week.
Teesside drivers are being advised that a £5 increase in basic pay and 75p in subsistence is the best which can be won this year.