THE BASIC WAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 142, 17 June 1926, Page 16

THE BASIC WAGE.

STATE EMPLOYEES' DEMANDS. CONSIDERED BY CABINET. LARGE AMOUNT INVOLVED. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") WELLINGTON, this day. Several important branches of the Public Service have placed before the Government requests for increased wages, and this problem has been the subject of very serious consideration by the Prime Minister in particular, as the chief demands came from railwaymen and Public Works employees. There have been requests to the Public Service Commissioner for improvement in conditions, which amount to increased expenditure on the staff under his control, and it is reported that one section of the Public Service has proffered requests which would cost the Government £250,000 to meet them. The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, on behalf of the second division of railway employees, recently asked the Prime Minister to reinstate the wages lost through the operation of cuts under the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, and particularly that consideration be given to an increase in the payment of the basic rate to workers of the Department who now receive £3 19/10 weekly, less reductions for superannuation.

It is contended that the basic wage is too low and that the Government should follow the example of the Arbitration Court in adjusting the position to meet a still inflated cost of living. It is this question of the basic wage which Cabinet is most closely considering. Heads of the Public Service and Railways have been asked to confer on the matter with a view to ascertaining if the present basic rate is "adequate to existing conditions. However, if improvement is made, there arises the fresh problem of the necessary margin which should be provided between the unskilled worker and the employee who, by apprenticeship and special education, renders greater service to the State. Increases to basic rate men would justify proportionate increases to skilled workers. The strong point made by the railwaymen is that they were asked nine months ago to await the result of the Department's operations during the financial year ended March 31, and that, as this disclosed an improved position, they should share in the prosperity of the concern. Decision on their claims is likely to be reached at an early date. Mr. Coates, at a recent interview with the railwaymen's executive, informed them that he would investigate the basic rate to Bee if it was fair. As a matter of fact there were, he remarked, not many men in the service on this minimum rate, and the job at the moment, in the face of keen competition, was to keep the railwaymen's positions for them. This necessitated an important period of readjustment. "Our responsibility." be said, "is to keep them going and give them every possible encouragement. We want men in every position to feel that their daily thought should not;.be-ho.w much money they can get, but how much money we can earn to keep us going." _j