CAB129-33 — Page 15

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to be affected is the Post Office where the lowest rate for a rural postman is 84/- at the age of 21 and P362 18t th8gage of 25. Pager488increases for Post Office Workers will be going to the Civil Service Arbitration Tribunal. There are also a number of industries, not rural, such as cotton and wool where the minimum time rates are at present substantially below the new agricultural minimum and where claims for increased wages have recently been presented. For example, the labourer's rate in cotton is 88/- a week, and in wool 90/4d. a week, and the recent increase in the agricultural rate may be significant in relation to the claims at present being considered in the cotton and woollen industries.

Retail Distribution

The

The Wages Councils covering the retail food trades, retail bookselling, retail drapery, etc. are now publishing their first proposals to establish statutory minimum rates. minimum rates proposed for men vary in the different trades from 102/- to 110/- a week in London and represent increases in general of from 4- to 6/- a week above the current minimum rates agreed on the Joint Industrial Councils. They will no I doubt mean in effect considerably greater increases than this

because there is reason to think that the Joint Industrial Council rates were not observed by a consider able proportion of the employers. A very large number of people, about 11⁄2 million, are employed in retail distribution and so far as it is possible to estimate the wages costs of meeting these proposals they are extremely high probably not less than something like £20 million per annum. The proposals raise a number of complicated problems which will be dealt with in a separate memorandum, but it would seem that if Orders are finally made on the lines of the proposals as they are at present there will be widespread repercussions throughout industry and other consumer services and a very serious breach will be made in the Government policy as set out in the White Paper.

5.

Road Passenger Transport

The Tribunals appointed by the Minister to consider the claim on behalf of bus workers for time and a half pay on Saturday afternoon have recommended increases in pay related to Saturday afternoon working which are equivalent to time and a quarter. Though the awards seek to avoid accepting the principle of enhanced rates of pay for Saturday afternoon working, it is not likely that they will be accepted by industry as a whole as doing this and repercussions on Railways, Retail Distribution, and Public Utilities can be expected.

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Textile Industries

Claims for substantial increases are now under con- sideration in both cotton and wool and in all the circumstances it seems reasonable to assume that some increases are likely to be given.

7.

Railways

The N.U.R. claim against the Hotels Executive has been rejected by the National Arbitration Tribunal. The claim against the Railway Executive is to be heard by the Railway Staff National Tribunal on 7th and 8th March, and the claim against the London Transport Executive by the appropriate Tribunal on 3rd March.