CASUAL WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 51, 23 November 1929, Page 15

CASUAL WORKERS

DISMISSALS BY P. AND T. DEPARTMENT A A “Christmas box” of a kind by no means appreciated has been handed 10 a number of the linesmen working in and around Auckland for the Post and Telegraph Department, reports, the Auckland “Star.” The men have been notified that owing to shortage of work their services will not be required after next Monday. The announcement has caused consternation amongst the men affected, who are mostly married men with families. Some have had long services with the Department. One of the men affected stated that, in view of the Government’s announcement that work would be found for every man in New Zealand who was willing to accept service, the action of the Post and Telegraph Department was extraordinary. He said that his wages were £3 19s. 9d. a week, and there was never any overtime. He mentioned that there were sixteen men affected, and said that the outlook for them this Christmas was black. The foregoing report was referred yesterday to the Secretary of the Post and Telegraph Department (Mr. G. McNamara), who stated that the position was in no way unusual. The men affected were not linesmen, but were labourers engaged in digging trenches, and so on. The work on which they were engaged had been completed, and as the men were casuals the Department had no option but to dispense with their services. Labourers were taken on as work came along, and the Department employed and dismissed as many as a hundred casuals a month.