RAILWAY SERVANTS

Evening Star, Issue 22462, 6 October 1936, Page 1

RAILWAY SERVANTS

FIRST DIVISION GRIEVANCE UNEQUAL TREATMENT ALLEGED [Per United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, October 5. The Dominion Executive of the New Zealand Railway Officers’ Institute has issued a statement taking strong exception to the remarks of the General Manager of Railways (Mr G. H. Mackley) at Auckland on Saturday evening respecting the application of the 40hour week to the first division of the service. < The institute, which represents the official and clerical staffs, asserts that there is serious dissatisfaction amongst its members owing to the differential treatment accorded them during the transitory period following the introduction of the 40-hour week principle. It is claimed that a period of time must elapse before full effect can be given to the 40-hour week owing to substantial adjustments in staffing arrangements being necessary, and also on account of the approach of the busy Christmas and New Year period. The executive states that the General Manager failed to fulfil his promise to include representatives of the institute in the conference which took place between the management and other staff organisations to discuss the application, of the 40-hour week. First division members do not receive payment for time worked in excess of 40 hours ptr week, although payment is granted to the clerical staffs of other branches of the public service. The General Manager has persisted in his contention, the statement proceeds, that payment to one section of employees and no payment to others does not constitute inequality of treatment. Members of the workshops, locomotive, traffic, and other branches of the service (known as the second division) are now paid a full wpek’s wages for 40 hours’ work, whilst fop time worked between 40 and 48 hour* per week such members are paid additional wages at their ordinary hourly rate of pay, which varies from 10 to 20 per cent, more than the rates existing prior to September 1 last. On the completion of 48 hours per week second division members are paid at one and a-quarter times the new hourly The General Manager’s reference U> service conditions applicable to first division members, such as annual leave, sick pay, etc., is considered to be misleading in that such conditions were m operation years before the 40-bour week was contemplated. The various conditions applying to all sections of tha railway service nave therefore no bearing whatever on 'the differential treatment accorded to first division members in connection with the operation of tha 40-hour week. . ... Respecting regrading, the mstltuta affirms that the Railways _ Board degraded many positions during the depression and abolished others but tua General Manager is now most reluctviD to restore positions and gradings mensurate with the increased duves and responsibilities now prevailing. Other branches of the public service have received much more reasonable treatment regarding goodwill promotions. It is interesting to note .that tlie General Manager is still undecided, although the classification list was due on April 1, and has not yet been published. Other branches of the pubho service-have already benefited substantially from goodwill promotions^ The arrangements outlined m _ tn» foregoing as applying to second division members are to remain in operation until the 40-hour week is an accomplished fact, and it is m this respect that the institute claims that its members are entitled to equal treatment.