“Dynamic” collective bargaining
Even the example of collective bargaining cited earlier, of a settlement reached in London but taking effect in Glasgow, does not emphasise sufficiently the fact that collective bargaining is a dynamic continuous phenomenon not solely restricted to the annual wage claim. National or district bargaining will tend to set a minimum, especially in the private sector, but plant, workshop or work group bargaining will seek to build on the national minimum. Additional payments of various kinds, shift allowances, overtime rates, productivity bonuses, even the proverbial “dirty money,” will frequently be subject to local negotiations, and will be reflected in the difference between the minimum rate and take-home pay, after allowance is made for tax, national insurance, etc. In other industries, customary payments may represent a significant portion of the pay packet, while workers in sectors with weak bargaining machinery will find their terms and conditions settled by wages councils or agricultural wages boards (see chap. 10).