RAILWAYS PAY

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 135, 5 December 1930, Page 15

RAILWAYS PAY

(To the Editor.) Sir,—A correspondent, writing in your issue of the 28th November, under the norn de plume of "Economy," supplies comparative tables endeavouring to show that the wages b£ certain railway employees in New Zealand arc higher than those of similar callings in Australia, and ho considers that that is sufficient justification for a reduction of wages in New Zealand. The tables submitted by "Economy," however, so far as the New Zea- | land rates are concerned, are not correct. ! The latest schedule which I have before Ime shows that the maximum daily rate lof first-class engine-drivers is £1 0s 2d (a position-reached after 20 years' service), ! while many others in the same grade receive as low. as 18s—rather an appreciable ' difference from the rate of 22s as stated hy "Economy." Your correspondent then ; states that second-class engine-drivers receive 19s. This also is contrary to fact, for, while the maximum for this grade is 17s 3d, there are many engine-drivers in j this country to-day who are in receipt of only 16s*8d daily. The figures submitted by "Economy" for cleaners' wages, howi ever, provide the greatest contrast to the true position, and are rather amusing. The adult cleaner, of course, must receive the basic wage (which is not 15s 4d), but there are junior cleaners whose schedule rate amounts to 8s Id. The figures quoted by "Economy" in this instance, therefore, are nearly 100 per cent, over the actual wage, and naturally the men are anxious to know where work can be obtained at such a remunerative rate as "Economy" would lead us to believe prevails. Your correspondent claimed that his comparative figures wore "illuminating." I think that a comparison of his figures with the actual rates is still more' "illuminating." I suggest that, for further comparative purposes, "Economy" should procure a copy of the rates ruling in Argentine, where engine-drivers receive 345 dollars monthly.—l am, etc., T. 11. STEPHENSOif, General Secretary, E.F.C.A.