150,000 State servants want 4 p.c. rise

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33702, 27 November 1974, Page 2

150,000 State servants want 4 p.c. rise

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, November 26. A 4 per cent wage increase for about 150,000 public servants, amounting to an estimated s49m for a full year, was put before the State Services Tribunal today.

The application, by the Combined State Service Organisations for a general adjustment for State employees in the half-yearly survey, was supported by the State Services Co-ordinating Committee. It sought a 4 per cent increase backdated to July 1, 1974. The secretary of the C.S.S.O. (Mr D. P. Long) said a serious anomally existed as a result of a movement in the private sector between April, 1973, and April, 1974, of 13.25 per cent, compared with a movement in the same period of pay scales in the State services of only 9.07 per cent. In order to remove this anomally and obtain a fair adjustment for State employees, pay scales for State employees in the half-yearly survey should be increased by 13.25 per cent, less the amounts received by them as a result of per cent and

2.7 per cent general increases during that period. “The resulting adjustment, should, again in terms of fair relativity and equality, be backdated to some date before the first week of April, 1974, when the April halfyearly survey was actually taken,” he said. “The disparity shown by the above figures had clearly been gradually building up before that time. “Nevertheless, the C. 5.5.0., having discussed the matter with the S.S.C.C. and with the Government, requests the tribunal to remove or relieve the serious anomally which it considers exists.” COST The secretary of the S.S.C.C. (Mr R. A. Kelly) said the committee did not oppose the application, which it deemed to be all-inclusive, covering the 2.25 per cent permitted in terms of the Wage Adjustment Regulations and to cover the wage drift.

"The estimated cost of a 4 per cent increase from July 1, 1974, for the groups concerned in the whole of the State services is s3Bm for 1974-75 and s49m for a full year,” Mr Kelly said.