BUSMEN WANT BLACK-OUT SCHEDULE REVISED
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DIFFICULTIES of meeting the demands made by municipaltransport workers in Glasgow for revision of black-out arrangements for running the bus and tram services were exposed in a statement submitted to Glasgow Corporation by Councillor J. Welsh, vice-convener of the transport committee. He said that the black-out agreement was reached in April of this year, and its whole purpose was to ensure that time-tables and duty schedules would be prepared and operated at the agreed dates, The difficulties of preparing new sheets was steadily increasing, owing to trained staffs being absorbed into the Forces. The only justification for a change in the agreement was that the continuance of summer time meant that there was no black-out concession during the additional hour in the morning. The real position, however, was not substantially affected, because the hour lost in the morning was gained in the evening, and it might he argued that the morning hour, with improving light, was preferable to one when light was failing. Councillor Welsh added that, generally speaking, working conditions in the Glasgow transport department compared favourably with those of any similar undertaking in the country. Although the basic week was one of 48 hours, this was modified considerably by various concessions regarding spread-overs, etc., and the actual platform duty for men employed on buses was 41 hours 40 minutes, for which wages for 48 hours were paid. Complaints made regarding duties arose entirely from the concessions and restrictions contained in the agreement, but the position had been much exaggerated. The late shifts on the buses had been reduced from 46 to 43 per cent., although the mid-shifts had been increased from 12 to 18 per cent.
In the case of any dispute, the machinery of the Joint Industrial Council was always available.