Good for both sides to talk

I started work in 1949 as a county roadman with the then road and bridges department.

I can recall as a member of the then NUPE being thankful for a 2d (old money) an hour, ESCC have always listened to TU officers and shop stewards, stewards were provided with facilities.

Roadmen were originally paid by registered mail which ESCC wanted to replace by payment with a monthly cheque, TU officers negotiated special terms and payments to ease the problems of coming from weekly to monthly pay.

Gritter drivers used at one time to volunteer to stay without a drink to be available to cope with frost and snow, TU talks with the employers led to gritter drivers being paid to go without a drink and be available for work.

A NUPE member presented a suggestion scheme be set up to enable employees to forward ideas which might benefit both employers and employees, the scheme was set up and successful suggestions were adopted and rewards were presented.

We talked and negotiated, were not always successful, but the cases above surely prove that it is good for both sides to have relations.

I have read all the comments made about the link road and I’ve thought back and recalled the bypasses around Westfield village, Guestling Thorn, Winchelsea Town and especially the bypass (1980?).

That was to leave the A259 at The Lamb Inn on Pevensey Marsh Road and go through the countryside to meet the A259 again at Guestling Thorn.

That would have taken traffic away from about 12 or 14 miles of built up areas and 30 and 40mph speed restrictions, imagine how it might have been.

E Hollingsworth

Icklesham

Winchelsea

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