RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 October 1945, Page 2

RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL

DECISIONS’ RECEPTION. WELLINGTON, October'23. “We are naturally disappointed at the tribunal’s failure to grant our application for a general wage increase,” said Mr. P. Johnson, national president of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, to-day, alter a brief study of the findings. “While considerable improvements have been made in respect of certain long-standing grievances, we feel that we did make out a case for a general increase in wage rates, mis is particularly so because of the tribunal’s attitude, after previous sittings, that what we were given only brought us into line with other sections, of the community. We hoped that the Tribunal would take into account the fact that those other sections of the community subsequently received increases, which created, the same position as had existed before. The whole position will, of course, be considered by our national executive council, which meets next month. The general secretary of the Lnginedrivers’, Firemen’s and Cleanei s Association, Mr. T. H. Stephenson, commenting on the increased coal allowance, said: “The allowance that is granted now is to be reviewed in six months’ time. If the coal + po ® improves, then naturally that adctitional allowance will go. There does not seem to be much prospect of the position improving so far as 1 can see The dirty coal position in the Taranaki district will be reviewed by a conference which will meet next Wednesday, and the men themselves have agreed to carry on until the end of the year. This is only out ot loyalty to the department and the Government, and in an endeavour to give the public the benefit of increased supplies that might be available for travel at Christmas. If it were not for the fact that that coal will be ? burned between now and Christmas it would mean that hains that might be run now could not posS on behalf of the Railway Officers’ Institute was not t^a to-dav in the absence of the gen eral secretary. Mr. J. S. Roscoe, who fs in the South Island. The national president, Mr. J. W. Shepherd, is A Mr la T d 'F. Gebbie, general secretnrv of ihe Railway Tradesmen s AssoclatffiiT expressed disappmntaent at the rejection of some ol the mg claims, but remarked tnat ceitain worthwhile advances had been made. He added that after a study of the findings he would make a statement on behalf of his association.