AIRCRAFT RADIO OFFICERS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25364, 11 December 1947, Page 3

AIRCRAFT RADIO OFFICERS

TRIBUNAL HEARING ' OF CLAIMS

DECISION RESERVED BY JUDGE

(P.A.) z AUCKLAND, Dec. 10. Decision on basic rates of pay, overtitne payment for work in excess of eight hours flying-time in a day, and claims for trans-oceanic and overseas allowances were reserved to-day by Judge Dalglish, chairman of the tribunal appointed to consider the dispute between the National Airways Corporation, Tasman Empire Airways, Ltd., and their radio officers. When the tribunal met on Tuesday, the chairman said he hoped to give an immediate decision after the hearing ended. After the luncheon adjournment to-day, however, Judge Dalglish said he would have to take time to consider his decision because of the repercussions it would have on, other air employees. During the hearing on wages claims, Mr T. A. Barrow, an employers’ nominee on the tribunal, said that present rates of pay for Tasman Airways aircrews were:—captains, £llOO a year, rising to £1375; first officers, £750 to £975; flight engineers, £5OO to £700; radio operators, £432 to £576; stewards. £442 to £518; stewardesses, £325 to £377. The company was offering increases to its radio operators which would make the range of pay £525 to £775.

Mr J. H. Collins, for the employees, said the union was prepared to accept as basic rates of pay the sums quoted by Sir Leonard Isitt in a press statement issued on Saturday. Additional allowances for trans-oceanic flying and for overseas expenses were also claimed. He quoted allowances paid by various overseas air companies and said they amounted in one case to sums ranging from £l5O i £2OO a year. “Tasman Airways holds its radio officers in the highest esteem,” said Mr Barrow during the hearing, “and nothing which has hannened has in any wav altered that attitude.”

The union’s submissions that the tribunal decision should apply to a chief radio engineer was rejected by the chairman, w’ho said that the duties appeared to belong more to an engineering than to a radio branch.