RAILWAYMEN’S CLAIMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1945, Page 5

RAILWAYMEN’S CLAIMS

DEPARTMENT’S ATTITUDE WELLINGTON, September 13. The reply of the Railways’ Department to the claim of four service organisations for a universal five-day 40 hour week, with double pay for work on the day off, was presented to the Railways Tribunal, to-day. Mr. R. G. Reid said the shortage of staff had retarded the limitation of work to five days a week. Up to 1939, considerable progress had been made in introducing the five day week, and with the return to normal staffing, it was intended to revert as soon as possible to the 1939 position, and extend the five-day week rule where economically practicable. Time and a half was payable to all employees on the sixth day, providing 40 hours had been completed on the other five days, otherwise on the completion of 40 hours, for the balance of the sixth day. The granting of the claim would mean .in effect two Sundays in every week, ..which went beyond the general industrial custom. A universal five-day would necessitate a very large staff. The penalty which the claim sought to impose for the departure from the rigid five-day week roster was unreasonable in all the circumstances.

Asked whether it was not a question of practicability but of expense, Mr. Reid said that under the existing housing shortage and scarcity of labour, he doubted whether it was practicable even if the department had unlimited funds.

Replying to Mr. Casey, Government representative, Mr. Reid said the department definitely wished to make the five-day week as general as possible. The department, the Government and the public had every reason to be proud of the way the railwaymen had risen to the occasion during the war and worked the long hours asked of them.