THE E -BUSMEN'S CLAIM SIR,—I read with interest the letter signed by
jack Grahl which was published in The Spectator of January 14th. He puts forward an interest- ing theory that wage rates per hour for bus crews should perhaps depend to a certain extent on the amount of money taken on the particular shift concerned, but I do not think he would concede that on some of the very thin routes, where a very small amount of money is taken and there is a considerable loss; then wage rates should be correspondingly less. Such a system would be impossible to work in practice for the bus industry.
I think that he really misses the main reason for the daim, and that is that it is naturally desired to take home more money at the end of the week. For the last ten years we all know that living has become dearer, and at the beginning of that period wage advances were per- fectly straightforward, being achieved by an increase in the rate paid per hour. Then there came a time when many trade .unions sought to disguise the real object of their claims- by asking for increases in the Sunday rate and in the Bank Holiday rate, overtime rates and, of course, payment of 48 hours' pay for 44 hours' work. Everyone will agree that it was necessary to get extra money somehow, but it was a pity that these various disguises were adopted in order to obtain that result. I say it was a pity because those men who have to man the buses do not under- stand these subterfuges. They know perfectly well that in order to make ends meet they must somehow earn more money, and I have been told by many of them that a bare 44 hours is no use, and in practice it will be found that most men work 48 to 50 hours at least. I remember in the old days, before the Road Traffic Act, 1930, came into force, when men with heavy financial obligations would ask to work a double shift just for the extra money, whereas an independent single man would be quite happy to work short time if he wanted a day off.
The trade union concerned is, therefore, faced with the difficulty of meeting Sir Stafford Cripps's request on the one hand and providing for an increased pay packet on the other hand. The matter has quite rightly gone before the appropriate tribunal, and it is not for me to say what their decision is likely to be. At the same time, I think that the public and the work-people concerned should know that bus crews work under much more difficult condition's than obtain in most factories and are, therefore, entitled to a good rate of pay ; but they should also know that Sir. Stafford Cripps is the best judge of the needs of the nation at the present time, and perhaps some half-way house will be found so that there will be give-and-take on both sides. We do not wish to arrive at the position, which obtained in 1930, when the shops are full of goods and nobody has any money to buy them.—Yours faithfully, W. J. CROSLAND TAYLOR, General Manager,
Crosville Moter Services, Limited. Crane Wharf, Chester.
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