DRAINAGE BOARD WAGES

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27224, 16 December 1953, Page 10

DRAINAGE BOARD WAGES

INCREASE TO APPLY TO WHOLE STAFF

The increase in award rates under the order of the Arbitration Court will cost the Christchurch Drainage Board £9500 in a full year. The cost to the board for this financial year for 171 of its 193 employees will be £5OO. The finance committee reported to the board last evening that where employees were receiinng above the award wages, the 10 per cent, increase had been calculated on the award wage only, “thus preserving the former margin.”

As the maximum increase of £1 4s a week meant an increase of £62 8s per annum in the salary of any award employee on £624 or more, it was inevitable that some anomalies had arisen, reported the committee, in respect of non-award employees in the £6OO-£BOO group who did not automatically benefit from the Court’s order.

“The committee feels that the ques- j tion of dealing with non-award salaries is a policy matter which should be decided by the board. For the board’s guidance, it may be pointed out that the North Canterbury Catchment Board has applied the increase to everyone in its employ, but in the case of the Government the increase has been applied only to salaries up to £lOBO per annum. Mr O. F. Baker moved that the 10 per cent, increase apply to the whole of the staff. He said that the City Council, Harbour Board, and Transport Board had not vet decided whether the increase should apply to non-award employees. Mr H. P. Smith: Let us have that clarified. Does that mean that evep'body on the staff gets 24s a week increase.

Mr Baker: Yes, except that it is less for juniors and women members of the staff. The motion was carried.