NEWS of the WEEK
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" The wheels of wealth will be slowed by oil difficulties of transport, at whatever points arising, as a carriage is by the roughness of the roads over which it runs...—John Beattie Crozier.
Sir R. Redmayne Grades North-West
OTHER negotiations having failed, V./Sir Richard Redmayne, independent chairman of the National Joint Conciliation Board and of its appeals committee, has made an award in the North-Western Area wages dispute. His awards, which apply to A-licence and B-licence operators, will become operative on September 30.
The dispute arose between the NorthWestern employers' and employees' panels on grading and, on July 21, the appeals conar9ittee of the National Board heard evidence brought by both sides. The committee Was unable to reach agreement and the matter was referred to Sir Richard Redmayne.
One of the points at issue concerned the Manchester area, within a radius of 10 miles, where agreement existed only between the employees' side of the North-Western Board and the Manchester branch of the Motor Transport Employers Federation. Sir Richard confirms this agreement.
As from September 30, Grade 2 wages shall be paid within a radius of 2i miles of the centre of Preston, but after a year the matter shall be reconsidered.
In the intermediate area of Lancashire, extending from Warrington in the south to Clitheroe in the north, two grades have been determined. Grade 2 shall be paid in the western district and Grade 1 in the east, The latter area includes Colne, Nelson, Burnley, Accrington, Blackburn, Bacup, Has:lingden, Darwen, Ramsbottom, Littleboro, Bolton, Wigan, Leigh, St. Helens, Warrington and Widnes, -and adjacent districts. The small district to the east of Manchester, designated-the Glossop area, also falls within Grade 1.
Sir Richard's award was issued on Tuesday evening, but a map explaining the grading position was not then available. The Conzmercial Motor hopes, however, to publish a diagram next week.
Prominent employer's among those who (as announced in The Commercial Motor on July 17) have resigned from the North-Western Board are undetstood to have made a remarkable protest to the National Board against the position in the area and explaining their reasons for leaving the Board. They refuse to accept responsibility for the consequences of the trade unions driving their advantage unfairly. The employers' panel, it is stated, has given way on many points to the workers, but the latter, it is alleged, will not be satisfied until practically the whole of the area is in Grade 1.