RAILWAYMEN’S WAGES

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1945, Page 4

RAILWAYMEN’S WAGES

“EXTREME DISAPPOINTMENT’

WELLINGTON, February 20. Mr. T. F. Gebbie, General Secretary of the Railway Tradesmen’s Assocition said to-day that reports received from branches throughout the Dominion revealed that the wage increase by the Tribunal was received with extreme disappointment and dissatisfaction generally. The. decision had done nothing to improve the unsatisfactory position as between the payment of skilled, semi-skilled and unskilled workmen, and in some resjpects had worsened the position. He added that, however, there was, of course, the fact that the Tribunal was faced with a colossal task and it had been too much to expect perfection- from the first decision on such an important question as wages. There was, of course, no question in the Executive’s view but acceptance of the decision. CHRISTCHURCH, Feb. 20. The Addington branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at a meeting yesterday carried the following resolution: — “That the increases granted by the tribunal to the lower -paid railwaymen are totally inadequate, and the rapidly increasing cost of living can only be offset by maintaining or increasing the hours of overtime already being worked. This meeting affirms the principle of the 40-hour week, and, unless the working of overtime is necessary and essential, strenuously objects to working overtime in order to earn a living wage. We therefore request our national executive to urge the Government immediately to ease the burden of taxation which is relentlessly forcing the lower paid railwaymen on to a sadly reduced standard of living.” WESTPORT TRADESMEN OBJECT WESTPORT, February 19. “We are not satisfied with the findings of the tribunal, and we object to statements over the air that the Tradesmen’s Association approves of 3|d an hour increase; we are opposed to that statement and desire to know on what grounds the tribunal reduced our claims from 6d an hour to 3->d an hour,” states a message handed to the Press Association by the Westport Branch of the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen’s Association.

The statement continued: “We are in communication with our national executive in the matter. We oppose the principle of embodying the cost of living allowance in the wage rates, as the cost of living allowance is a thing apart from the hourly rates. As the tribunal findings are mandatory, we realise the position, but only accept the same under a strong protest.” Asked to comment on the decision made by members of the Greymouth branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants on Sunday to “await the full findings of the tribunal before deciding what further action is necessary,”’ Mr. F. H. McEachran, secretary of the Westport branch of the Amalgamator Society of Railway Servants, said, the decision made by Greymouth was in line with the decision arrived at by the Westport branch on Monday, January 22, when Westport was given assurances that the wages claims would be considered first; that any increase would be retrospective to June 30, and that the decision would be given by the middle of February. Mr. McEachran added that the request made by the Greymouth branch to the Government “for an immediate assurance that members of the railways service would not be subjected to a cut in their family allowances because of the wage increase granted,” appeared to be a selfish request, since workers employed by private companies had to drop family allowances on account of wage increases. “Personally,” said Mr. McEachran, “I am in favour of family allowances regardless of any means test. Family allowances should be paid as the right of motherhood.” 1 FRANKTON RESOLUTION HAMILTON, Feb. 19. A well-attended meeting called by the Frankton branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, held in the Frankton Town Hall yesterday afternoon, and conducted in the orderly manner which characterised similar meetings during the recent strike, passed the following resolution, which was released by the chairman of the strike committee (Mr. P. Johnson): “This, meeting vigorously protests at the difference in the rates of increase provided by the Railways Tribunal between the various organisations. It is our oponion that A.S.R.S. members have not received justice., in that other organisations have received greater increases, thus creating further anomalies. “We further suspend the strike until such time'as we have received the tribunal’s decision on the remaining 18 claims, when a further mass meeting will be held to consider wages and conditions, and to decide whether further action is necessary.”