Railway Tradesmen Want “Full Amount”

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30085, 20 March 1963, Page 14

Railway Tradesmen Want “Full Amount”

(Neu) Zealand Press Association) DUNEDIN. March 19. More than 300 members of the Hillside branch of the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen’s Association adopted a resolution today condemning “what appears to be” Government policy in allowing a ruling rates survey to nullify 'a Railways Tribunal decision.

The chairman of the branch, Mr D. C. O’Brien, said soon after a lunch-time meeting that a recent wage increase of 2Jd an hour would be ignored in the survey. This would mean, he said, that if. as a result of the survey, an extra 3d an hour was awarded, the railway tradesmen would receive only Jd an hour. The text of the resolution was: “Arising out of the current survey of ruling rates, it appears that the 2Jd an hour granted to industrial tradesmen by the Railways Tribunal will be submerged or •flattened out.’

“This special meeting of the Hillside branch of the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen's Association is greatly concerned at the possibility of this taking place, and strongly condemns what appears to be the Government’s policy in allowing a ruling rates survey to be used to nullify a tribunal decision.

“This reflects to great disadvantage upon Government members who. during the recent debate on the controversial State Services Bill, said or implied that State servants had nothing to fear or lose through the Government's legislation.

“In view of the fact that out of all the special allowances which arose from the findings of the McFarlane Commission, the only allowance in jeopardy is the 2}d an hour granted to indentured tradesmen, the branch considers the time is opportune for the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) to reaffirm or otherwise his statement that his Government believes in the policy of maintaining and improving margins for skill” Mr O'Brien saiA that statements received by the branch from the chairman of the Public Service Commissicei (Mr L. A. Atkinson) had led the branch to believe that the men would not get the full amount awarded aa a result of the survey. He said that Mr Holyoake had firmly, but not Anally, stated that the railway tradesmen would not get the full increase.

"We intend to change his mind before he gives his Anal decision.” Mr O’Brien said.

The secretary of the branch, Mr C. J. Cadman, said the decision would affect about 460 men at Hillside —half the working force—and more than 2000 throughout New Zealand.