Government considers demise of Wages Council but RHA opposed
Page 25
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A UNION REQUEST to wind up the Road Haulage Wages Council—made soon after the Scottish drivers' dispute—is still being considered by the Secretary of State for Employment.
A spokesman confirmed this week that no decision had yet been taken. However, under the Employment Protection Bill which received its second reading in the Commons on 'Monday, the Government is empowered to reorganise wages councils into new National Joint Industry Councils on a request from either side. Such a request now exists. The Department of Employment is also considering a plea from the Road Haulage Association not to wind up the body. It says that there are a substantial number of drivers in the road transport industry who are in unions outside the Transport and General or United Road Transport—the two member bodies of the council—or who are not in a union.
No other machinery for negotiating wage deals existed, says the RHA. The alternative would be a national pay structure and this was some way in the future, the RHA told the Department.