RESTORATION SOUGHT

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 30, 5 February 1935, Page 11

RESTORATION SOUGHT

ACTION BY RAILWAYMEN

The biennial conference of the Amalgamated Society of Railway' Servants comprising '■ delegates elected from all parts of the Dominion has commenced its sitting in Wellington, the president (Mr. E. J. Dash) presiding. ■'...'

Among _tke motions adopted on the opening day were the following:—

"In view of the fact that our wages were reduced in 1931-32 by at least 20 per cent, to help the Government solve its financial problems, consequent on the depression, this conference representative of railwaymen throughout the Dominion, now that the worldwide' recovery is proceeding apace, calls upon the Government to end the deprivation and hardship so patiently borne by railwaymen in the interim, by restoring the wages cuts forthwith." - • . . .

"That for economic and humanitarian reasons and also as the most important and immediate practical solution of the unemployment problem this national conference of railwaymen urges upon the Government the imperative necessity for an instant general advance on the shorter work week throughout New Zealand, so that every able-bodied producer may be found full-time employment at maximum wages all the year round."

"That this conference views with serious apprehension the tendency to retain members in the service of the Department after- having reached 60 years of age, such members being eligible to retire on superannuation. These members who are concurring in this movement are acting in direct opposition to the views of railway organisations who represent railwaymeri. It is also in direct conflict with the welfare of workers under the rapidlychanging economic conditions." '

"The Railways Board being wholly unresponsive to our claims for better, wages and conditions and the welfare •>f our members, only balance-sheet considerations being taken into account, 'ignoring the national service we fender, the society requests the Government to immediately set up iin independent tribunal to equitably deal with the claims of members of the service to improved working conditions arid adequate wages."