S.T.R. and Haulage Throat-cutting
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COLLOWING the series of articles in
" Solving the Problems of the Carrier," in which S.T.R. (The Commercial Motor costs expert) dealt with haulage rates paid by the Durham C.C. (and at the conclusion of which series he criticized the rates paid by Shrewsbury B.C. and Shrophire C.C.), steps were taken by the chairman (Mr.
C. A. Loosemore) and members of the Shrewsbury Sub-area of A.R.O. to improve matters.
They approached the borough and county surveyors and asked that a deputation be received to discuss haulage rates. The borough surveyor of Shrewsbury refused to receive a deputation. The county surveyor of Shropshire agreed, although his opinion was clearly that little useful purpose could be served.
Before this, however, some attempts had been made to improve conditions
by more direct means. In previous years, rates on the following scale had applied:-For vehicles of 30-cwt. payload, 23s. per day; for 2-tonners, 25s. to 27s. 6d.; for 3-tonners, 27s. 6d. Members of A.R.O. in the district, interested in this work, put in tenders this year as follow:-For 30-cwt. vehicles, 25s.; for 2-tonners, 30s.; for 3-tonners, 32s. 6d.
These rates, unfortunately, were cut by non-members and several of those who put tenders in at the higher, but still obviously uneconomic, rates, lost work as the result of that step.
It was as the outcome of this that it was decided to ask the officials named for an interview. On receipt of the county surveyor's consent, Mr. H. Scott Hall, M.I.A.E., M.I.T.A. (" S.T.R.") was asked to form one of the deputation and ultimately he visited the surveyor in company with
Mr. G. F. Goodwin, Secretary, West Midland Area of A.R.O.
He there placed before the surveyor the figures shown herewith. It should he noted that they demonstrate that, operating most economically and assuming a full week of 48 hours throughout the year, it is possible to operate 2-touners only at 34s. 6d. per 81,-hour day. This assumes payment of Grade 3 wages according to the National Conciliation Board scalethat is to say, the lowest rate of wages which the Board recommended.
The county surveyor, Mr. Buckley, received S.T.R. and Mr. Goodwin in sympathetic mood, but made it clear to them that there was little or nothing that he could do in face of the fact that, as he showed them, he had quotations from nearly 40 hauliers, at prices varying from 23s. to 27s. 6d. per day for 2-tonners. He said that his duty, in this matter, was confined to consideration of three factors: (a) That adequate wages were paid, (b) that the vehicles were efficient for the purpose for which they were required,
(c) that the work was done to his satisfaction. Provided that those three conditions were fulfilled, he was, to all intents and purposes, compelled to
accept the lowest tender. He was emphatic that the wages paid were such as the council considered to be adequate, hut did not divulge the scale of wages he had in mind, beyond making it clear, by inference, that it was less than Grade 3.
He promised to study the figures and give the matter his careful consideration but feared that, until wages became statutory, there was little that lie could do.
The moral of this interview is clear. It is hauliers themselves, in Shropshire at least, who fix the rates which they shall be paid for their work, and until they can get together and become 100 per cent, members of an association, little can be done to help them