Municipal Pay Answer Expected on Sept. 26: L.T.E. Reject Claim
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THE answer of the municipal bus undertakings to the higher pay claim recently submitted by the Transport and General Workers' Union is expected to be given on September 26. The claim, which is for increases of from 15s. to £1 12s. a week for drivers and conductors, and
for 18s. 6d. to 9s. 8d. for unskilled and semi-skilled garage workers, was discussed by the National Joint Industrial Council for the industry last Friday.
The London Transport Executive have rejected the union's proposals for a El 5s. a week rise for all bus and maintenance workers, and have suggested that the matter should be referred for conciliation.
It is at the next meeting of the N.J.I.C. that the municipal employers' representatives are expected to give their decision on the pay claim.
Under the Union's proposals, the 15s. increase would be paid to drivers and conductors only recently taken on, the amount of the increase rising, according to length of service, up to the maximum of £1 12s. for those' with two or more years service.
Increases to garage workers would be made according to the grades they are in. Grade 1 employees, who are at present getting a basic rate of £7 Is. 6d. a week, would be paid £8; grade 2, 16 16s. (7 10s.); and grade 3, £6 I ls. (£7).
In rejecting the T.G.W.U.'s claim for a £1 5s. a week raise last week, the L.T.E. offered to increase immediately the existing pay for rest-day working from time-and-a-quarter to time-and-ahalf. They also proposed that the standard week of 44 hours should be worked in a lesser number of days.
They suggested that this proposal, together with the question of basic pay, should be referred through the Minister of Labour either to a single conciliator or to a board of conciliation. An application by the Union for the introduction of a sick pay scheme similar to that at present in force for supervisory grades is to be considered by the Executive.
Report to Workers The Union representatives are to report to a delegate conference of London Transport bus workers on Monday.
When The Commercial Motor closed for press, there had been no further development in the pay claims submitted for employees of provincial bus companies (The Commercial Motor last week).
An indication of the municipal employers' attitude to the amount of the increase involved was given last week by the chairman of Sheffield Transport Committee, ClIr. Sidney Dyson.
ClIr. Dyson said that the industry could not face the increases sought. If approved, the application would cost Sheffield about £370,000 a year, and that could be met only by either raising fares or putting them, or part of them, on the rates.
On the basis of the balance sheets of other undertakings, Sheffield was as well placed as any to meet a pay rise, he said. "In fact, I would go so far as to say we are the best equipped."
Sheffield could probably stand a 9s. rise, which would cost them £90,000, but only by cutting into other things they had been planning. "The new position is serious," Cllr. Dyson added, "and will be serious for most transport undertakings."
In Birmingham, where the transport department is independent of the N.J.I.C., bus workers have rejected proposals by the sub-committee of the transport committee to pay an attendance bonus and to alter the existing spreadover payment system.
Difficult to Earn The attendance bonus scheme, which would mean an extra £6 10s. a quarter to drivers and £5 to conductors, has been turned down because it was claimed that it would be difficult to earn. Some of the conditions attaching to it were described as harsh.
The men rejected the suggested conversion of the spreadover payment system because it was conditional upon them to sacrifice the first 4s. of the next national wage award to assist in meeting the cost of the proposal.
Under the proposed new system, men on late night duties could earn an extra £1 6s. a week, and those on early turns, an additional 12s.
The men's representatives submitted that the proposal to deduct 4s. from the next pay award was unreasonable, as the wage rate was far lower in itself than that paid to other workers already enjoying a five-day week.
The next meeting of Manchester Transport Committee is to discuss a suggestion by the deputy chairman, Ald. J. E. Pheasey, that a commission on fares collected above a set amount should be paid to bus crews.
.10WETT TO SELL OUT?
T11E directors of Jowett Cars, Ltd., understand that Blackburn and General Aircraft, Ltd., will make a formal offer to acquire the whole of the issued share capital of Jowett at 3s. 3d. per share. The terms of the offer are acceptable to the Jowett directors, who are prepared to recommend shareholders to avail themselves of it. Clan to Join Big Rhodesian Group ?
rAA MEETING will take place in London this month at which an amalgamation of the Clan Transport undertaking with the United Transport group, Northern Rhodesian operators, will be discussed, The Commercial Motor understands.
United Transport (the John Watts group) recently bought Thatcher Hobson, Government-owned operators, and some other undertakings. Only three long-distance concerns are licensed to run in Northern Rhodesia—Clan Transport (owned by Charles Holdsworth and Sons), Scottish Transport—which was taken over by John Watts a few months ago—and Swift Transport, Ltd.
In July, Swift Transport joined the United Transport group. Hitherto mainly concerned with passenger transport, the group wOuld engage in goods haulage if Clan Transport were absorbed.
INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL STANDARDS FOR DRIVERS
I-1 A GROUP of consultants is meeting
in Geneva this week to establish. medical fitness requirements for drivers of motor vehicles. The meeting has been called by the World Health Organization at the request of the United Nations committee of experts on licensing of motor vehicle drivers.
The meeting is considering draft rules drawn up by W.H.O. for the examination of health, vision and hearing, as well as standards to be followed by licensing authorities in drawing up practical tests. It will make recommendations on health standards of drivers of various types of vehicle, and on medical conditions which should constitute a barrier to the issue of driving licences.
Dr. L. G. Norman, chief medical officer of the London Transport Executive, is one of the consultants. The others are Dr. Seward E. Miller (U.S.A.), Dr. P. Behague (France), Dr. Jose da Costa Moreira (Brazil), and Dr. Isagani Sayo (Philippines).
Representatives of U.N., the International Council of Ophthalmology, and the International Labour Office, are also in attendance.
FIRST INDEPENDENT IN L.T.E. CENTRAL AREA
THE first independent stage service to operate in the London Transport central area was introduced on September 1 by West London Coachways, Ltd., Ashford, Middx. The new service, between Feltham and Bedfortt, is being run at 15-minute frequencies throughout the day. An ex-B.O.A.C. Bedford-Mulliner 3I-seat single-decker is being used.
Mr. G. T. Mash, a director and secretary of the company, told The Commercial Motor that he had received full co-operation from the London Transport Executive in the venture.