Midlands Dispute to Arbitration

12th November 1965, Page 58

12th November 1965

Page 58

Page 58, 12th November 1965 — Midlands Dispute to Arbitration

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FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

ABIRMINGHAM haulage firm which, a fortnight ago, sacked 13 drivers who had been on unofficial strike for seven weeks, decided this week to reinstate the men and allow their pay claim to go to arbitration. The men will return to work next Monday while their claim is being considered by the Ministry of Labour.

For several weeks the Stechford. Birmingham, depot of Millichamp Haulage Ltd. has been idle. Management circles in the West Midlands believe that the company was forced to re-employ the strikers and accept an offer to go to arbitration, or go out of business.

Whilst the strike was unofficial, the men's union. the TGWU, made little attempt to conceal that the men were receiving unofficial help and backing from officials at local union headquarters. Mr. Alan Law, regional trade group secretary of the commercial services' section of the TGWU, made it quite cleat that any union members who sought employment with the firm would be frowned on.

Arbitration by the Ministry could not

take place while the drivers were on strike (as their union has maintained) or dismissed (as Millichamps maintained). On October 26, Mr. R. Millichamp. managing director of the firm, announced that the men had sacked themselves, in effect, by not reporting to work. The drivers had their cards returned to them. but the union posted them back. By the end of last week they had been returned to the union.

The RHA fears that the Millichamp men's pay claim could lead to similar claims by drivers all over the country. But Mr. J. Parnell, secretary of the West Midland area, said on Wednesday that the Association had advised the firm to accept Mr. Law's offer to go to arbitra tion. " It seems the only way of resolving the dispute ", he said. "At national level we can get no sense out of the TGWU. It is like banging your head against a brick wall."

Mr. Law commented: "1 welcome this response by the firm, as we said we were prepared to go to arbitration." However, he again denied that the men had any official union backing.