At ite conference at Clacton on May 28th, the Associated Scciety of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen, passed a résolution to the effect that the union's present claim for bonuses should be "without strings", This was a rebuff both to the union executive and the Hailways Board. The executive had recommended the conference to authorise further negotiations on the basis of a revision of the existing 1957 manning agreement, in view of the Board's “full assurances" on redundancy. The delegates supported the line of the south East Region of the union that the productivity part of their cash demands hes already been met by increased efiiciency and that bonus claims should be pursued separate from talks on manning.
The Board's present offer to the union, conditional upon its acceptance of a revised manning agreement, has been reported at 6%, which is considerably higher than the "norm" envisaged in George Brown's incomes policy. It seems very unlikely that the Board will consent to the union's bonus demand = about £3 a week without such strings. There is almost certainly ecing to be a conflict between the union and the Board. If things follow the previous pattern the more militant sections of the umion will call work=to-rule moves to put pressure on the Board and,perhaps, their own executive,