RAILWAYMEN AND WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 249, 20 October 1919, Page 8

RAILWAYMEN AND WAGES.

A.S.R.S. RESOLUTIONS. TO IMPORTANT WELLINGTON MEETING. INCREASES REQUIRED. A vent for the undercurrent of dissatisfaction that cxiste amongst members of the railway ecrvice at their financial position, which they consider to bo far from satisfactory considering the high cost of living, was provided for one section,- (he A.S.R.S. (Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants), which comprise in (lie main workshop men, at a well-attended meeting held on Saturday evening. The men for a long time 'have felt the necessity of higher wages, and have frequently discussed the question at meetings, and were unanimous in the view that their position was even worse than pre-war days. They were aware that their executive was to meet in Wellington to discuss matters of interest to them, bub the date was expected to be about id fortnight henfce. Tlliis was altered, however, and to-day at Wellington an urgent meeting of the executive from all parts of the Dominion is being held, consequently it was that several resolutions were passed 'pertaining to two burning questions, including that ot wanes, for consideration of that meeting. The other resolution has to do with the working hours of the men. In respect to th e first the executive ha* ben called upon to make strong representations on behalf of the men to have their salaries increased. What other matters the executive will discuss are not known this end, but members are attaching a deal of importance to it, particularly Kince it is taking place a fortnight earlier than was originally intended. In support of the contention that they are not receiving wages adequate to meet tho demands made upon them they state that a comparison of the pre-war prices for working clothes, and thq present prices is sufficient to prove this, particularly since they get through so many clothes. "Take, for example," said one man, "the price of a shirt. Before the war it cost approximately 0/, while today it is costing more like IS/. The cost l in other directions had increased if notj ac much just a little less, sufficient, however, to make itself felt to an extent that could not poeeibly be appreciated, seeing that tho wages had not increased accordingly." They admitted receiving increases during the war, "but what were they?" they asked, "compared to the increased cost of living?"