COMPANY CLAIMS FOLLOW Uim. PAY AWARD
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A NUMBER of provincial bus companies has already announced
plans to apply for further fare increases following the decision of the National Council for the Omnibus Industry to recommend to their members a pay rise of '5s. a week. The award, which is the same as that made by municipal operators earlier this month, is expected to cost about LI4m. a year.
On Tuesday, the committee of the Transport and General Workers' Union which has been negotiating with the London Transport Executive on a pay claim for an extra £1 a week, is to report to a delegate conference of the Union. It is believed that, following the settlement of the municipal and company pay claims, the L.T.E. on Friday made an offer for their 58,000 bus workers.
The awards to their employees may be only the beginning of a new round of higher costs for bus operators Union officials.said in Birmingham last week that the busmen's rises would give strength to a claim for a 10 per cent pay increase by engineers.
Birmingham Transport Department which, althqugh outside the national wage-fixing body for municipal transport, has put the 5s. increase into effect. now faces a claim for a 104d. an hour rise for working after midday on Satur days.
The claim, which is to be presented by Mr. H. Green, district secretary of the T.G.W.U., is for time-and-a-half payments from noon on Saturdays. instead of time-and-a-quarter from 1 p.m_ It will probably come before the next meeting of the transport corn. mittee.
Lighter Morning Loadings
Mr. Green said last week that the claim had arisen as a result of the widespread adoption of five-day working in commerce and industry, which had reduced the municipal bus services on Saturday mornings.
"At one time we had a fair proportionof early turns with a dinner-time finish," he said. "Now we find that through cuts in services there are very few early finishes, but plenty of afternoon and night work."
Because of its serious financial position, the Ulster Transport Authority has proposed that there should be a standstill on wages. In a memorandum to the unions. the U.T.A. said it expected a loss of about £400.000 on the current financial year. At the end of October. the total loss since the undertaking was established was expected to be over £24m.
It was clear, the memorandum went on, that any further increase in operating costs would have a detrimental effect on the Authority, and on its capacity to serve the public and to maintain the present level of employment.
Wage dims for certain sections, including bus and garage staffs. of the I.T.T.A.'s employees have already been lodged with the undertaking, and it is understood that other claims are pending.
The Yorkshire Traction Co., Ltd., are among the companies who will be
unable to absorb the pay increase. Mr. N. Dean, general manager, said last week that the award would cost £25,000 a year. The price of fuel, tyres and other commodities had in the past year risen far more than had been estimated,
Hebblc Motor Services, Ltd., to whom the rise represents an increase of £6,000 a year in costs, are also to seek higher fares. Yorkshire Woollen District Transport Co., Ltd., expect to have to find an extra £20,000 a year, which would make it "almost imperative" for them to apply for an increase in fares. an official said.
West Yorkshire Road Car Co., Ltd., are considering whether to apply for a further rise in fares.
Disappointment about the amount of the increase has been voiced by bus workers in various parts of the country.
S.L.T. TROLLEY BUSES GO
THE first major step in the abandon1 ment of trolleybuses run by the South Lancashire Transport Co. was taken last week when the 14-mile service between Atherton and St. Helens, which is operated jointly with St. Helens Corporation, was converted to motorbus operation. Journey time has been reduced by 5 minutes on week-days and 1.1 minutes on Sunday mornings.
.S.L.T. have •paced new DaimlerM.CW. 61-seaters on the _service Although these display the fleet name "Lancashire United." which is that of Lancashire United Transport, Ltd., they are owned by S.L.T.
On the same day, St. Helens cow verted their local workings to Haydock and extended the journeys to a new housing estate at Hard Lane.
C.I.G.S. PRAISES B.R.S.
" IN the limited field of moving out-of 1. gauge loads by road, British Road Services have been every, bit as cooperative and effective as British Railways," said Gen. Sir Gerald Templer, Chief of the Imperial General Staff, in a message to Sir Brian Robertson, chairman of the British Transport Commission, paying tribute to the staff of the B.T.C. in connection with their efforts for the Services during what Gen. Templer called "this whole Suez business."