BRITISH RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 117, 14 November 1930, Page 9

BRITISH RAILWAYS

PRESENT LABOUE COSTS

BiG REDUCTIONS DEMANDED

"United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright (Received 14th November, 11 a.m.) LONDON, 13th November. Slating as simple truth that they cannot continue the present expenditure on labour, the railway companies have asked the unions to accept heavy reductions in all grades. The companies propose an immediate reduction of 6s weekly in the wages of aHult males, and 3s weekly in the wages of females and youths. For the salaried staff earning from £180 lo £250 annually a reduction of £20 is proposed, and for those between £80 and £170 annually a reduction of £10 is proposed. Payment will be made only for lime actually worked, and standard hours include Sunday duty. Excess work will be paid at the rate of time and a quarter. The companies cite the competition of other forms of transport and high operative costs as the reasons for the cut being necessary. Wages were £47,000,000 sterling in 1913 and £115,000,000 in 1929. Traffic receipts in 1930 probably will be 10-J millions below the 1929 figures. The railway unions are preparing counter-proposals.