Transport Workers Get Pay Increases

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30793, 3 July 1965, Page 17

Transport Workers Get Pay Increases

Pay increases of up to 3}d an hour have been granted to workers employed under the New Zealand Public Passenger Transport Authorities’ Workers’ award. The new award, incorporating terms of settlement arrived at in conciliation, is retrospective to November 15 last year for wages. Other provisions of the award came into force on June 29, and the award remains in force until June 30, 1967. Conductors and tram and bus drivers receive pay increases of 3 Jd an hour, raising their hourly rates to 7s 7Jd, 7s lid and 8s Id respectively. Cable car ticket clerks receive 6s 3d an hour, an extra 2|d. Bus drivers working as Operators are to be paid 6d an hour in addition to the normal rate, an extra id. Workers in workshops and depots receive increases of from 2jd to 3Jd an hour, with the exception of clock attendants, caretakers and janitors, who receive an additional 10s 6d a week, 10s 8d a week and 10s 7d a week respectively. Overhaulers are to be paid an extra 2jd an hour as dirt money; workers in pits an extra Is 6|d a shift, sanddriers and fillers an additional 2jd an hour, and workers using flexible hand brushes on bus washing machines an extra 2d an hour. All these payments are additional to normal rates. Permanent way workers receive increases of 2fd to 3Jd an hour, and permanent way

nightwatchmen receive an additional 10s Bd, their weekly wage now being £l5 5s 6d.

Additional rates are 3Jd an hour for workers using concrete breakers and air tamping machines, 3d an hour for crane operators, 2jd an hour for plate-layers, spikers, bondsmen and jointsmeh, and 3d an hour for workers placing wet concrete or working with tar or bitumen. Overhead workers receive increases ranging from 2j to 3}d an hour. Shift work is now to be paid for at the rate of 3s M a shift, and night shift work at 4s 6d a shift. Where three shifts a day are worked in depots or workshops the payment for the afternoon or night shift is to be 4s 6d a shift. The new award includes a change in holiday pay provisions. Shift workers not required to work on stipulated public holidays receive holiday plus pay for eight hours at ordinary rates. Those shift workers who do work on a public holiday are to be paid at the rates applicable to that day, plus the ordinary hourly rite, with a minimum of payment for eight hours worked.

Cocktail Party.—Stock and station agents, bankers and others connected with the farming industry were entertained at a cocktail party in the Winter Garden on Thursday evening by the executive of North Canterbury Federated farmers. The guests were welcomed by the president (Mr R. H. Bedford).