Director LCS
THE WEEK — Feb. 17, 1965 Package Deal for Builders N the building industry, under the 1963 settlement on wages, there is provision for the cost-of-living settlement in March (in previous years, that has been in February) and for the final settlement under the agreement of 23d. per hour for craftsmen and td. for labourers in November, 1965. Already there are ‘demands for a substantial increase to be submitted immediately the current agreement expires. There are some unions, of course, who want to submit a claim at once, but all indications ‘show that the 1963 settlement will run the full course. This raises two questions—one, should there be
another package deal or long-term
agreement, and if so, what sort of a
submission should be made and for
how much? This question should
exercise the minds of branches; mem-
bers, and conferences,’ and they
should not be long delayed consider-
ing the matter. The second question
is the 40-hour week and the demand
for its implementation. This, of
course, does not have to wait for the
‘termination of the existing agree-
ment. However, these questions in
my view, will have to be answered
in 1965. It is as well to get on dis-
cussing them now.
The clear implications of the need