Wages begin to settle
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THE WINTER wage round is edging towards a quiet conclusion with agreements reached in Liverpool and Leeds and Bradford.
Transport and General Workers Union Liverpool officer Bob Robinson is recommending that drivers accept a new offer made at negotiations on Monday. Employers agreed to increase their offer on overnight subsistence from 50p to 75p per night.
The new rates give a driver of a 32.5 tonne lorry £105.50 for 40 hours (still the highest rate in Britain), £109.50 for 38-tonners, take the overnight subsistence rate to £12.25 and the "dark money" payment to 60p per hour.
The guaranteed week remains at 55 plain time hours and the deal is backdated to December 31 last.
As foreshadowed in CM last week, Leeds and Bradford employers and drivers have reached agreement to increase the 32.5 tonne rate by £6.40, which takes it to the £100.90 level already agreed in Sheffield.
All other details of the employers' previous offer (CM, December 15, 1984) remain.
Drivers are paid £1.90 (ex£1.80) a day extra for 38 tonne work and are paid for five days' work if they do three or more days per week on 38-tonners, This takes it to £109.50.
Overnight subsistence rises by 65p to £11.65 and there are increases in sickness, accident, severance and death benefits. The deal runs for 11 months from February 3.