NIGHTWORK ON RAILWAYS

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1944, Page 6

NIGHTWORK ON RAILWAYS

E.F.C.A. WAGES’ CLAIM

WELLINGTON, November 2. The strain of night work, and the dislocation of home life caused by it, were emphasised in support of a claim on behalf of the Engine-drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners’ Association heard by the railways tribunal to-day that night rates at time and a-hali be paid between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. m place of the present payment at time and a quarter between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. n .. , The Department’s reply was _ that night work was a necessary incident in railway operation and it was submitted that the claim was unreasonable. In many parts of the Dominion daylight hours extended for some time after 6 p.m., especially during the Summer months, and a considerable amount of traffic was required to be handled during those evening hours, involving the employment of a large number of staff. If the claim were granted the rate of pay of employees working in the evening would be unjustifiably high. The claim would place an exorbitant additional cost on the provision of essential transport during evening and night hours.