Lex starts wage talks
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LEX WILKINSON starts its formal wage negotiations on Monday, June 17, and will look at a five item claim from the unions.
The Transport and General Workers' Union, the General Municipal and Boilermakers' Union and the United Road Transport Union have submitted claims which Lex Wilkinson has acknowledged as "more realistic". The wage review date is set for July 27.
General Parcels division managing director Malcolm Howard said that the company's wish to freeze wages and salaries until next year, still stands. This demand lead to the workforce voting to take strike action in the second half of April, but the threat was eventually withdrawn (CM, June 8). Lex Wilkinson argues that with a 1984 profit for General Parcels and Systemline of £556,000 — before tax, interest or the allocation to the employees' share scheme — on a turnover of £44.3m, there is a need to improve profits.
TGWU road haulage national officer Jack Ashwell declined to comment on the wage review. But he said that to help the cost side of Lex Wilkinson's business, the workforce and management were working on "detailed investigations at depot level".
There have been a number of positive suggestions from this, such as on improved trunk scheduling, fuel economy and the increased servicing of company cars in company workshops.