Testing time ahead for Bus leaders

busmen, faces a big test on the wages front. The acceptRance of 3 per cent by the railway leaders places the London busmen, once again, in an isolated position with their claim, which the London Transport Executive has rejected at all levels. award.

Cliff Prospects for Ticket 1/- (for The CBC leaders will no doubt press for an immediate award of 3 per cent like the railways when they hear the report of the Frank CousinsLTE meeting held this month.

The LTE, though, is not in a weak position and will undoubtedly utilize the relative isolation of the busmen to press some conditions upon any such In its new year message to the staff the LTE spoke of coming "technical developments' on the buses. These so-called 'technical developments' have not yet been agreed to by the Central Bus Committee.

First on the list is the one-man bus which is running in country sheds but not in central (red) garages yet. A development of the OMO (one-man-operation) bus is the standee bus which has 37 standing passengers and pay-asyou-enter machines. The trolley conversion is almost completed and 64-seater Routemasters are running alongside 56-seater buses all over London. On one route, the 104 from Finchley garage, the newer 72-seater RML is running.

Two years ago, we warned in The Newsletter (28.5.60) when the Routemaster bus was put on the roads to replace trolleys that any failure to recognize what the LTE was doing would cause trouble in 1962.

The LTE intends to convert all its 56-seaters to 64 and 72-seaters. A deal is probably in the offing League Notebook PUBLIC MEETINGS Leeds All on Sundays at 7.30 p.m. Room 'C' Leeds Trades Hall, Upper Fountaine Street, Leeds 2 February 25 Gerry Healy Marxism and the Working March 4 Slaughter World Socialism all three meetings)

Registered at the G.P.O. as a newspaper Published by The Newsletter, 1864 Clapham High Street, Lid. (TU, S.W. 4 180 • Clapham High Street. London, S.W.4 by a London Busman to keep technical improvements in step with wage claims.

Irrespective of whether the programme of "technical developments' is tied to the present claim or to later demands, the CBC has a difficult period ahead.

Consider the claim for higher wages that will be made in garages which begin to operate the 64 and 72-seaters in place of the standard buses. The LTE already have nearly 8,000 busmen operating the new buses from ex-trolley sheds for no extra pay.

Even more dangerous would be the precedent that some busmen have higher wages than others. The bitterness and hostility between drivers in some country sheds over who is to drive the OMO buses and between displaced conductors could spread into all sheds.

Some technical improvements are inevitable and they must be judged from the interests of the crews and none other.

Other so-called 'improvements' are aimed at increasing the exploitation of the busmen. One man operation and standee buses must never run in London. Bigger buses like the Routemasters are here now and the Central Bus Committee must extract the best possible terms for them.

One thing must be clear. Any wage award must go on the basic rate for all staff, not in the exchange of conditions for money. A whole number of claims are pending regarding shorter hours, longer holidays and other improvements to conditions.

These matters can be pressed by the CBC after the increase on the basic rate is settled, when the 'technical developments' come up for discussion.

The lesson of the recent tube strike must also be learned. No claims can be successful unless the CBC sees that all busmen are aware of what is being done.

Special meetings in every garage should be held to report on the claim. The CBC members should visit branches and put the case for struggles for wages. Every means of propaganda should be used to keep busmen in touch with the negotiations.

No matter how militant the CBC is, unless it is backed by an active member ship the LTE will not be awed.