Ruling Rates Accord

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31359, 3 May 1967, Page 3

Ruling Rates Accord

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, May 2. Agreement has been reached between the Government and the Combined State Services Organisation on the figures which February’s ruling rates survey have disclosed. This was announced jointly today by the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration (Mr Marshall) and the chairman of the Central Committee on Combined State Services Organisations (Mr W. E. B. Tucker). The figures represent the

movement that has taken place in rates in industry since the last survey was carried out in February, 1966. They are 7d an hour at both the tradesman and skilled labourer levels—applied to clerical and related officers the rates would represent £6O a year for officers receiving £1055 a year and proportionate amounts for those receiving less than this figure. The effective date of increases arising from the survey will be September 14, 1966.

The joint statement said tha( although the amounts disclosed' by the survey had been agreed between the two parties, there could not be any payment at this stage because negotiations were still continuing on other important aspects of the survey. These included the ques-

tion of the 6d an hour increase for indentured tradesmen granted recently by the Railways Tribunal. Wide Margins The State Services Coordinating Committee had indicated that in view of the wide margins disclosed in the survey between various trades it wishes to negotiate a basis for established separate trade rates in the State services—instead of the present single rate for all trades which the employee organisation contended should be retained. These factors could significantly alter the adjustments for the employees affected.

The employing authorities also propose a review of the method of fixing the increase for labourers. Negotiations are also continuing on the method of adjusting salaries above the base rates.