WHEN workers and bosses combine to beat competition and win contracts, it renews everyone's faith in the labour system.

This appears to be the situation surrounding Bolton Council and its in-house direct labour organisations. The law demands that they have to compete with private firms on council contracts and, as a result, workers were forced to accept lower salaries last year to beat off private competition.

Although budgeted to make £190,000 in the last 12 months, Bolton Council's DLOs have actually made £468,000.

Now, 26 workers who repair council vehicles will each receive bonuses up to £700 each as a "thank you." UNISON is pleased they will get the money, but sounds a note of caution on making up lost wages. A quick glance at the figures suggests that if this was really profit-related pay, the loyal employees should, in fairness, have each come out with a bigger bonus.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.