A.S.R.S. VIEWS ON WAGES

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24503, 28 February 1945, Page 6

A.S.R.S. VIEWS ON WAGES

CANTERBURY BRANCH CIRCULAR . AtTEKAIfONs'IN POLICY ASKED FOR v •'The Canterbury. trfaficto .1* ofiihe opinion that the workers iftiwt.now strengthen their' uhlods fitto drghhg to ErSSed social change.” Tfiis is the coHclißion reached ,byvtheCanterbiw k thi Amalgamated Society! hx RaUWay Servants Ih '>’fe octeflffilr othfer brAhches approved at ; a meeting'on MS -tribunal and wage rates in general.. •»The decision (of the tribunal) if Unjust When ;with the difference in rates of pay StttfffHHeVWPM dutkide the' service, and the pronouncement ? br : - lhe : -Minister, (the Rt. Hon. P. Preset) that uHlons, S^'VBKMKR increase in wages,V says the circular, the circular. saysJbe (Ufl»enc v eJe? tween /m mm of -mi ajulkilb Wages of the Engine-Drivers, Ffi»“ men, and GleanCrS’;. Amobiatipn and thfi.Railwajf Offlchrtf institute, has bein increased. The difference ber tWeen the annual wage of a porter With three years’ adult' pfctyiftS; JWd that of a third year clerk has risen £rdm'£B to £l7, between-that-of 8 ShUnter of 21 years’ -service (doingtho “most difficult and 1 , dangerous job in the railways’*;'aild. mftt Of a -ClctS With 21 years?;-Service-- froth £44,191 4d to £SO 138-4 cL and between-that ot.b guard with'Bo yeftfS*. Service and a Clerk (grade fi) with the samesexvifife from £BS los Bd tb £{)o 10s. ■■ Ih view of “the tribunal’s opinion that harmony should prevail, and,;in« Justices hi fem6VOd,'tMt laCkqtSofclii life should be compensated for, and that .men working long hours under arduous conditions should be considered,’' the branch considers the finding neither satisfactory nor; just. No: one denied the right of lowSh.paia hied bf the Railway Offleaesv Institute, to have in Increase, but, the circular says, an increased difference between rates of wages cannot be justified, -* - “Economic Disadvantage” The circular claimi thbtillfailWaymill ire at an economic'ffisidVMitagfeifiOiS 4 pared with workers BUtsidS Ihi MVibl, because the latter, thifbagh;a ;Sh(J)ftaii Of labour, MVi been Ible. td: above * the nreacribed ratesrmit r rauW&yittiir haVe • been held to. award rates. The Effect has been thatahim, creasing" numbefc hive tried to-, leave the job f The l ,inect/of a general increase' lit. Wages will be -to; leave the railwayman in the same.position as before. The circular expresses the opinibn that a general increase in WaAMiWiU increase the eConottiiti - disadvantages facing, all workerij.because, if the quantity of money In Circulation is increased without a proportionate' ‘ !hj crease in goods - and services, rial -wages are decreased. To protect themeilveS froth this the workers must produce more and at the, same time demand radical ■■ alterations cin Government policy and control. “First, the working class should demand a cessation of income tax on overtime and on Other penal rates,” says the circular. “Penal-rates' of'fill kinds are paid to the worker as a cothr pCnsation for time lost in social life, afld such compensatory payments Should be free from income tax. Second, the worker must give greater recognition to, .and .become , more, conscibua Ih; the demand lor social change,” The circular says that the expenditure . of workers, theirincomes.-’and their productivity are openly published and discussed. It contends that the employing class must also be prepared to stand analysis and criticism of its incomes and expenditures. For this purpose, the State should take full control of the banking system, and unions should be. permitted to go OVel the records of the-income 1 and expenditure Of employers and to help the Government in fighting' agaifast the concealment of incomes. _ - It says that the Government has claimed that taxation has - reached such a level that the results of: in' creased exploltation.and .production revert to me State, but that: that it not the case. The Wax has created-an expanding market with greater profits which, it is contended, some employ* ers eoncear by not disclosing the, true position and by reinvesting a portion of the disclosed profits in repairs -and rebuilding. In the view of the branch the Infireafeed investment in industrs means that the profit is spread over t greater . capital, l With ft natural . tendency for the-rate-of profit par cent Stating that production :has ihcreased m spite of reduced manpower the circular attributes this to increased efficiency in production, fastei tempo of work, and increased exploitation. The worker must prepare foi the natural .economic reaction atte! the war with a/co.ntracting markst hhi keener; competition^';.' Employet-s suffering 'uditeta, declining rate-pen 09nt Will then, the branch, believes; demand a decrease In .wages and endeavour tto mata^.p^uc^o^^a^m

mg class differences and in the exploitation of the worker. ■ “The • wbriceft" .says thfe have toaccefct slower ;o{ uivihg, 5h 'accept a "gro's deney. system : of society, or; work 'd< towards the overthrow of the