THE LOCOMOTIVE MEN

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 71, 24 March 1919, Page 7

THE LOCOMOTIVE MEN

A SECRET BALLOT. MINISTER GIVEN A FORTNIGHT. TO STBIKE, OR NOT TO STRIKE BIG AUCKLAND MEETING URGES HASTE. The Locomotive Knginedrivprs, Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association of NVw Zealand io now holding a secret ballot it every centre in the land, with the object ol getting the opinion of the majority on the question whether the loco, men will strike it their demands for better wage* and improved conditions are not granted. At its last meeting the Auckland branch of this Association decided to strike if the necessity arose, in harmony with the decisions of other branVhes. and at its meeting yesterday the officials announced tiie secret ballot. The Association considers that the Minister of Railways ha- broken faith with them because his new proposals covering wafes and conditions were not presented to them lat-t week, as they say he promi-ed. The meeting yesterday was a very large one. and alter patiently hearing the whole position explained, the decision wae unanimously made to request the lirand Council ot the Association to complete the ballot with all dispatch, to meet immediately in Wellington, await the result of the ballot, and then to ait in accordance with the majority \ote. WHAT THE MEX THINK. The dissatisfaction with their treatment is genera!, and the officials of the Auckland branch have all the same tale to tell. It sums up to this; They had agreed with the Department at the beginning of the war to forego any wages increases until its close, and in return, had been promi-ed that when peace came again, they would be given fair treatment. The loco-men had no wish to interrupt the New Zealand railway jervice, nor to create any Labour upheaval, but they were sure of the reality of their grievances, they considered they had not been dealt with fairly, a.i.'l they were prepared to take drastic steps if their feelings were npt considered without delay. "We all realise fully what a locomotive strike will mean; it will put the country to very great inconvenience, and will practically dieorganise it,"' say thr> officials. But ■with this they remind the people that they had been promised reforms since the" 1013 strike. At that time they remained at their posts, when almost the ■whole of Labour was in chaos. They piloted the trains, through the. land, when shipping was disorganised. They had remained at their posts through all that 1913 upheaval, when all Labour ■wag against them. Sinre then they had tried everything but striking, they had even asked for an award from the Coiirt of Arbitration, but had had no -atisfavticn. Many of the men can come forward and show that they have worked ior 50, 60, and 70 hours, or even more than that, during oue week. J

The feeling among the Auckland men Beems to be in favour of a peaceful settlement, but they are "Tired of waiting." to use a member's words, "lor promises that never come.' . They want a fair scale of salaries, and they want them within a fortnight. WHAT HEADQUARTERS THINKS. Headquarters of the Association has informed all the branches that a fortnight's grace will be given, and then, if the Minister lias not replied, the result of the ballot will be made known, and the grand council will act upon it. Those who have had an opportunity of judging the feeling of the men in other centres, say a strike is inevitable if the Minister does not "come up to the mark." The men i-pi-ak of a definite promise they received in 1014, and want that promise fulfilled. They are not prepared to put themselves in the hands of the Parliament's Railway Committee, because they do not think it would give them "'a fair deal." They think they have been siighted, too. for they ret-all a statement made by Mr. Herries at Matamata. when he said tlie Tailwayrn-en -would not get the proposals till April, but they themselves have received no advice of this change of intention. THE DEMANDS. The officials of the Auckland Loco, men are not "talking bi<r" at present, but thej- outline thtir grievances in coneke, clear manner, and have seen to it that even the youngest cleaner known precisely what is the position. A leaflet has long been in circulation amongst the loco, men setting forth exactly the salaries and working conditions demanded. It gives engineers upwards from 15/6 per day. firemen from 13/ a day, and cleaners 11/ and 12/ a aay. There are seventeen new conditions. They are:— *

Cleaners doing night work to be granted two weeks additional leave per year; time-and-half to be paid for all time worked over eight hours; time-and-half to be paid for all time worked between 6 p.m. and 0 a.m.: Sunday, Christmas Day, and Good Friday to be paid for at double rates: 13 days holidays to be statutory holidays paid for during the year: 10 minutes to be allowed for making out all reports. e::terißg any repairs in Journal each day, and making up return of day's work: that full time be paid for when i.oeo. men are required to wait for return train; that thi minimum lodging allowance to be the same minimum as granted to members of Division I.: that a guaranteed -0 hours off duty betweer shifts be allowed at home station, and eight hours at foreign station: that a meal allowance be granted to Loco, men when on duty 10 hours or over, similar to that granted in Australian States; that lodging allowance bp paid t.i I-or-o. men when relieving, and also when they are less than six weeks in one place: single men to receive same wages as married men: that a definite time limit be placed upon t'je period for acting men and to receive the wa«p for permanent position: that long-fervid,, holidays; be granted similar to that granted to I. ho. men in Australia: that a 4-f-hour week be instituted for r.rvomotive mm on account of the irregular hours for booking on and off duty: that a limit of a .'.ny's work fhall be that a booked run sha'l not exceed 10 hours: that double-time lie paid for all time over 00 hours in a week.

j The following appeared in our Eight! o Clock Edition on Saturday: —