RAILWAY CRISIS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 250, 21 October 1919, Page 9

RAILWAY CRISIS.

MEN'S ORGANISATION OPPOSE ; RAILWAY BILL SHARP CR.TTIDI3M OF SALARY INCREASES. PROTEST TO RAILWAY? COMMITTEE ' _____ < 05y Telegraph.—Special to x Star.") YVELLIIXGTOX, Monday. ' Railwaymen are seriously perturbed ( over the proposed changes in the clast>Lu-| ] cation system embodied in the Govern-: 1 mc lit Railways Amendment Bill. The position is so acute that the Executive ] Council of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants held a special sittingduring the week-end, and it is evident ■ that the agreement arrived at n few months ago, following lengthy ncgotia- | tions, will ,be re-opened, as the men consider the Railway Management guilty of a gross breach of faith in the manner in: . wiiicii it proposes to amend the claesifi-i , ation system. , Strong exception is taken to the pro- ; p«sal that any member may be promoted . . to any position by the general manager | if he was of opinion that the particular individual has special merit or ability. ! Officers of the Amalgamated Society<ll- t ! clare that the clasei'Scation system built up carefully to avoid favouritism|. ii the service, but the general manager i{ now proposes to reintroduce this evil,! because clas.*iHea.tion properly admini.~tered gives every opportunity for advancement of capable men. There ie in practice no chance of appeal j against tile general manager* arbitrary <, decision under this new clause, as the. Ministerial veto is exercised under the advice of the general manager. j Whilst t'uo Railway Society recngnises that the preeent system has] defects," its ollicera p-ta-te tlvat they re j prepared to consider reasonable proposals for improving the efficiency of the service, but they resent the introduction of what they term a revolutionary change without consulting the organisations voncernetl. A SALARIES CONTRAST. It is pointed out that the !>iil makes provision for the transfer of war bonu-e.-to wages representing £4-."> per annum, which is not regarded ivs an increase, for the reason that no change in wages had taken place for three years prior to the war. The men's official* consider it particularly inappropriate at a tiuw when they have documentary proof that married 1 . members of the second division are not receiving enough to pay their way, andi; that the department should provide in-j; creases to £*i>() a year, and in| one case £;')S(J. These increases, to high officiate, moat of whom urej eligible to retire, constitute* a ?:!t of; fciOO per annum extra superannuationto men already entitle! to retire on! £400 to £500- although the general manager ha.s just had to report to Parliament that the fund id seriously overloaded and requires actuarial investigation, with immediate substantial increase in Government subsidy. The result of these proposals in the bill is that the AJS.R.S. Executive will go before the Railways Committee to strenuously oppose the passing of the measure in ite present shape.