RAILWAYMEN’S HOURS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1945, Page 3

RAILWAYMEN’S HOURS

RETURN TO NORMAL CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 6. A move towards a reduction of working hours to the pre-war 40hour week has been taken by the Railways Department. A report that instructions for the gradual return to normal hours had been issued was confirmed to-day by Mr. A. B. Grant, secretary of the Christchurch branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. , For some years, railwaymen have been working a 48-hour week, the additional eight hours being paid for at time-and-a-half rates. A beginning has now been made to eliminate the extra hours. Mr. Grant said he understood a sudden return to the 40-hour week would not be made, but that the extra hours of work would not be given to railwaymen as the staffing position improved by the return of manpower from the services. Many individual workers would feel the resultant loss of pay when a return was made to the 40-hour week, Mr. Grant said. The reduction in income would be in many cases equivalent to three days’ pay each fortnight. The old problem of the lower-paid worker would probably arise again, he said; but, replying to a question, he added that no action was contemplated at present. If the declaration of essentiality covering the railways were removed, the question of casual workers in the goods sheds would instantly arise, said Mr. Grant. Their position would become serious. While working under the essentiality declaration, they were given constant employment. If the declaration was revoked, they would again be employed on an hourly basis and subject to being “put off” at short notice if goods traffic were not available. A close watch was being kept on the interests of those employees. Instructions had also been given for the return to the 40-hour week of Railway Officers’ Institute members. The instruction became operative last week. GREYMOUTH DEVELOPMENTS With men returning to their work with the Department every day after serving with the Armed Forces, the Railways Department’s employment position is rapidly returning to normal, and members of the first division, since last Monday, have returned'to working 40 hours a week, as before the war. Members were asked to work 44 hours a week, four hours at time and a-haif, during 1941 to make up, to a certain extent, for the depleted staffs. It is understood that members of the second division, who have been working 48 hours a week, will also be returning to 40 hours. This change, however, will be gradual and not carried out suddenly, as was the case of the first division, the -hours lessening as more men return. The reduction in. hours will be welcomed by the men, many of whom have had no leave lor years, but. the economic repercussions will be less satisfying, for, in the case of second division men, they will lose Hie equivalent of three days’ pay a fortnight.