vy a Scottish reader
Mr. John Copeland, Secretary of the Dundee Trades Council, announced on January 24th that he had torn up his Labour Party card in front of Ray Gunter. He took.this action over the Government's attitude on the _ busmen's pay award. Mr. Copeland is a £12 17s a week busman, a TGWU branch secretary, city Labour Party delegate and well known in both the Labour Party and TGWU, He took part in last week's talks between the TGiU, municiral erployers, and the Ministry of Labour, at which Mr. Gunter turned down the negotiated £1 per week increases for Britain's 77 000 muricipal *‘usren. Mr. Copeland said he was furious ('and so are other busmen') at the attitude adopted by the Mirister of Lahour at the talks. 'The fact that meetings of all Scottish municipal busmen this week have voted for national strike action is an indication of the anger which exists,' he added. ‘I told Mr. Gunter that the average euarenteed hasic wage of a bus driver is £12 1's per week and after deductions, including payment of rert and rates he was left with around £9 to feed and clothe his family and for other domestic expenditure. ‘Witt rising prices, rents, and rates, that was an intolerable position.'