WESTERN DISPUTE CONTINUES

2nd October 1964, Page 57

2nd October 1964

Page 57

Page 57, 2nd October 1964 — WESTERN DISPUTE CONTINUES

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THE dispute between Plymouth Corporation and the Transport and General Workers' Union over proposed cuts in services continues without prospect of an immediate solution, writes a special correspondent.

To offset the recent wage award to municipal busmen and avoid yet another increase in fares, the Plymouth undertaking applied to the Western Traffic Commissioners for permission to reduce 25 services and withdraw One altogether, leaving the remaining 27 routes to continue on the old schedules.

The T.G.W.U. objected to the transport department's proposals. but were not permitted to give evidence. the Traffic Commissioners pointing out that it was not for them to decide whether busmen were properly paid. The objection was lodged on the grounds that, if granted, the service cuts would result in a loss of earnings for busmen of £3 a week. This figure was refuted, however, by the Corporation, who estimated that in some cases the men might drop a few coppers a week and in others they might gain.

On September 15 the men imposed a ban on standing passengers in protest against the cuts, which were to take effect the following week. At a subsequent meeting the Corporation agreed to defer the introduction of the new schedules. which had been moved to September 2.

and the decision made to call in the emergency committee of the Joint Industrial Council for the omnibus industry to try to find a solution. The men say that if the negotiations are not brought to a satisfactory conclusion a ban will be imposed on all unscheduled overtime and a request made to the management for schedules to be worked out on the basis of the standard 42-hour week Point at Issue The issue is that while the unions are pressing on a national level for a reduction in the working week for municipal busmen, the union at Plymouth wants to keep overtime as a right and at a high level. The position on Tuesday was that the situation was unchanged, with the ban on standing passengers continuing and no word from the emergency committee.

Much of the benefits that the economies would have brought have been lost through the continued delays in the introduction of the new schedules and it now looks very much that Plymouth will be faced with a deficit nearing t:38.000 during the year 1965-6.

One-man Buses in London : The staffing target to operate the one-man buses in the London red Central Buses area has almost been reached in the four selected garages. ondon Transport plans to operate these from October 21.