Scope of Wages Council to be probed
Page 30
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A Commission of Inquiry meeting today (Friday) will publish details of two objections made to Government proposals for revising the scope of the Road Haulage Wages Council.
The ending of carriers' licensing under the Transport Act has made changes inevitable; in particular, it is anticipated that the Council should cover goods vehicle drivers engaged "mainly" in hire and reward work. Currently, any worker in that category comes within the scope of the Council. The proposed change would exclude some existing B-licensed vehicle drivers whose firms are largely involved in own-account operations_
One of the objections has come from the Road Haulage Association which feels that the use of the word "mainly" in the proposed definition is dangerously vague. It would exclude many B-licence holders whose work is not principally concerned with road haulage and could bring in others. The Association is concerned at the pros
pect of small tradesmen acquiring one or two vehicles to engage in professional haulage work and paying less than the statutory minimum rates. "Sub-normal" operating standards with inadequate insurance cover is another possibility.
The identity of the other objector was not available earlier this week but it is believed to be a trade union with a large membership in road haulage. It is no secret that the Transport and General Workers' Union has many reservations about the usefulness of the Road Haulage Wages Council machinery.
The Commission of Inquiry under the auspices of the Department of Employment and Productivity consists of three independent members and two members representing the interests of employers and two of workers. The chairman is Professor J. C. Wood, vice-chairman Professor W. Hagenbuch, and the third independent is Dr. R. M. Fisher.
Mr. R. N, Heaton and Mr. R. W. Cox,
nominated by the Confederation of British Industry, will represent the employers; Sir Sidney Ford and Mr. G. H. Lothian, nominated by the TUC, represent the workers.