Chronicle
| Author | Robert F. Banks |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8543.1966.tb00930.x |
| Date | 01 March 1966 |
| Published date | 01 March 1966 |
Chronicle
January
-
April
1966
THE
CLIMATE
OF
INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS
The climate of industrial relations was dominated by Britain's balance of
payments difficulties during the first four months of
1966,
though progress was
made in reducing the trade deficit. Unemployment remained
at
very low levels
and
its
incidence in Britain's depressed regions declined significantly. The
number of workers unemployed in Great Britain in December
1965
and in
January, February and March
1966
was substantially less than in the same
months in
I
964
and
I
965.
*
Month Number unemployed
(000)
Per cent unemployed
I965 1964 1965 1964
December
332'0 348.8 1-4 1.5
1-5 1.6
1.4 1-6
1.3 1.6
1966 1965 1966 1965
January
349'7 376.4
February
339'4 367'9
March
314.2 372.1
Weekly and hourly wage rates and earnings for all workers in all industries
and services continued to rise throughout the period and, compared with the
same months in
1964
and
1965,
there were marked increases in levels of pay.
Normal weekly hours declined and figures for the quarter were substantially
lower than the similar period in the previous year.
Indices of weekly and hourly wage rates and normal weekly hours
(31
January
1956
=
100)
Weekly Wage Rates Hourly Wage Rates Normal Weekly Hours
1965 1964 1965 1964
December
149.6 142-7 162.5 151.9 92.0 93'9
January
151.2 143.8 1649 153'2 91.6 93'9
February
151.3 144.0 165.4 '53'4 91'4 93'9
March
152.6 144'4 167.2 154'2 91.2 93'9
1965 I964
1966 1965 1966 1965 1966 1965
Indices of weekly and monthly earnings (the average for
1963
=
100)
Weekly paid employees Monthly paid employees
All
employees
I
14.2 105.9
1966 1965 1966 1965 1966 1965
I
10.5
112'2
106.7
I
16.4 109.8
117.7
111.0
February
118.5 111.7
I
14.8
I
08.5
March
122.6 113'5
I
16.4
I
10-5 121.4
112.8
The figures presented in this section are obtained from the Ministry
of
Labour surveys.
1965 1964 1965 I964 I965 I964
December
I
I
3.6 104.6
I
18-9
I
I42
January
"7'5
Unfortunately April totals were qot available at the time the Chronicle went
to
press.
267
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