P. & T. CONDITIONS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 52, 30 August 1917, Page 11

P. & T. CONDITIONS

VARIOUS GRIEVANCES VENTILATED

Yesterday afternoon the following remits wero passed a* the annual Conference of the Post and Telegraph Officers' Association: —

That at all times when a lineman is called upon to perform duty away from headquarters he be paid a reasonable allowance for meals, in addition to cost of transit.

That camp allowance of married* officers be increased from 2s to 4s per- day. That the overtime scales be reviewed with a view to making the overtime rates at' least equal to the salary rates of the officers entitled to the payments.

That the hearing of all Public Service appeals should be open to the press. This association protests against the whittling away of the- Public Service Appeal Board's powers to enquire into and settle the grievances of public servants arising out of the administration of the Public Service Act, 1912. It believes that Parliament intended that all such grievances should be examined and adjudicated upon by the Appeal Board. Having the Government's promise to this effect, it calls upon the Government to enquire into the. administration of the appeal clauses of the Act, and if found legally necessary, to amend the Act so that an officer with a grievance shall first have to seek the assistance of the Supreme Court to have his appeal heard. . In view of the highly important legal technical points submitted from time to time to the Appeal Board, this association reaffirms its wish to have a Stipendiary Magistrate appointed to the chairmanship of the Appeal Board. That any appellant who so desires be represented by counsel before the Appeal Board. That the Department be asked to keep faith with the association 'in regard to employment of females on a permanent basis, and that no further permanent appointments be made during the war. It is deplored that the Department altered its decision in regard to advertisement for " girls to learn telegraphy : employment temporary." If at the termination of the war the Department found that it was short of telegraphists the ■ girls could then be taken on permanently, and back service counted as from date of temporary employment.

That conference urges that in the event of the Department requiring more- telegraph cadettes, preference be given to the girls already employed in other branches of the Post and Telegraph service.

That the employment of lady officers on a permanent or temporary basis is unfair to the men in the trenches unless the basis of equal pay for equal work is accepted and maintained by the Commissioners and Department.