TB pay pay talks face Mr. Marsh by our industrial correspondent
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Leaders of 33,000 London Transport busen hope to know today (Thursday) whether sir new pay and productivity agreement is get the go-ahead from the Government.
They met Mr. Stephen Swingler, Minister State for Transport, on Monday and he treed, as a matter of urgency, to consult r. Richard Marsh, the new Minister of ansport, and his predecessor, Mrs. Barbara istle, now Minister of Employment and oductivity.
A conference of garage delegates has been lied for next Thursday to pass the Governant's decision to the busmen. The deal would give £1 -a-weekrises for more one-man buses, relaxation of restrictions on standing passengers, and a cut in running times. Mrs. Castle has already asked the Transport and General Workers' Union to consider further productivity concessions.
The men's negotiating committee decided last week, however, that it was not prepared to give any more; a tied vote of the negotiators —four votes aside—repudiated the draft agreement with London Transport.
A new deadlock looms following 18 months of abortive negotiation.
Mr. Alan Thomson, national bus secretary of the TGWU, said that Mr. Swingler had been told he was being met under protest. The four-man union delegation had expected to see Mrs. Castle again.
Mr. Swingler said that, because of the Government changes, he was unable to give an answer to the union's case but he hoped to do so on Thursday after consulting the other Ministers. Mr. Thomson emphasized that the deal involved genuine productivity concessions: he urged Mr. Swingler to deal with the issue as a matter of urgency.
Executive members of the West Indian Standing Conference—they published -The Unsquare Deal", a pamphlet alleging colour discrimination in London Transport—planned to stage a vigil outside London Transport HQ on Wednesday in protest at the refusal of an application by a West Indian conductor who wanted to become an inspector.
The possibility of a one-day token strike at Holloway Garage, where the unsuccessful applicant works, has been discussed.
The West Indian, who has been a conductor-inspector since 1963, claims that he has been refused a promotion test five times in the past two years. Now two further applications have been turned down.
London Transport says that its promotion boards take no note of colour.