CIVIL SERVICE

Greymouth Evening Star, 22 March 1946, Page 3

CIVIL SERVICE

HIGHER SALARY SCALE NEW BASIS FOR COMING REGRADING POST OFFICE ADJUSTMENTS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 21. The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) announced to-day that the basic salary scale for use in the regrading of tile Public Service and Post and Telegraph Service as at April, 1946, has been approved by the Government. “The new scale,” said the. Prime Minister, “is the outcome of recommendations of the Public Service Consultative Committee, which, has given considerable study to the problems involved since it was set up last year.” The Post and Telegraph advisory committee dealt with the matter as it affected the Post and Telegraph Service. Both the Public Service Association and the Post and Telegraph Association had, since the completion of the consultative *committee’s report, negotiated with the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash). An agreement had been reached on‘the scales now fixed.

Two important principles reflected in the new scale are that anomalies have been adjusted and cost of living bonuses are now incorporated in salary. The most significant change is that the top of class VI is now reached in the eleventh year of service, when the salary is £4OO. This compares with the former total remuneration of £393 in the thirteenth year. Scales Compared.

The following table shows the previous scale compared with the new scale—

“A”: entrant with school certificate commences at this stage; “B ". entrant with university entrance commences nt iktiQ cifpfTP * Limit of automatic promotion in new scale. Employees already on the £413 rate after 20 years’ service will continue thereon. An extension has been made to the Public Service Commissioner’s authority in fixing higher salaries. Formerly he was authorised to fix salaries up to the top of class special, £B4O. This authority is now increased to permit him to fix salaries for positions up to £lOOO. Similarly, in the Post and Telegraph service, the Director-General’s authority has been extended.

Basis of Regrading. “It should be explained,” said the Prime Minister,, “that the new scale is the basis on which regrading is to be undertaken as at April, 1946. There is a statutory provision for five-year-ly regradings of the Public Service and the Post and Telegraph Service. The last regrading undertaken was in 1937. Owing to war-conditions, it was necessary to postpone the regrading due in 1942. “After representations from the employee organisations, the Government agreed that the postponed regrading should now take place. The new grading is to operate from April 1 next. “During the war the Government agreed to the setting up of the Government Railways Industrial Tribunal with power to fix salary rates for railway servants having regard to the wages paid in other industries. New scales were agreed to by this tribunal to be effective from June 30, 1944. The Government agreed that any increases arising from the application of these scales would apply to other branches of the Public Service. “It was appreciated at the time that it was difficult to translate to the Public Service generally and the Post and Telegraph Service decisions that were made with particular application to the railway service, and, through making adjustments following the railway tribunal’s findings, certain anomalies were sure to arise. The employees’ organisations of the general Public Service and the Post and Telegraph Service made representations to the Government that these anomalies should be adjusted as early as possible. Anomalies Removed.

“To this end, committees were set up in. each of these two services, comprising members of the official side and employees, who were jointly to consider the anomalies that then existed. Subsequent recommendations were made to the Government by these committees. The basic scale now approved by the Government largely removes these anomalies, but does not grant any substantial overall increase in pay to public servants. Some small increases, however, will be involved in the course of making the adjustment. “The new scale does not contravene the Government’s stabilisation policy. The major effect of the revised scale is to enable anomalies Jo be removed that existed prior to stabilisation. At the same time it has been decided to incorporate into the salary the cost of living bonus at present paid separately. The revised scale, which will be used as a basis in the forthcoming regrading, will enable satisfaction to be given to the claims of public servants.” Mr. Fraser thanked the Public Service Association and the Post and Telegraph Association for the reasonable and responsible manner in which their respective representations were brought before the' Government, and for their full appreciation of the imperative necessity of maintaing the stabilisation policy in the interests of the country as a whole.

SETTLEMENTACCEPTABLE appreciation expressed (PA.) WELLINGTON, March'2l. “The settlement is an acceptable one and the national executive feels

it will give general satisfaction throughout the service,” said _Mr J. K. Hunn, president of the Public Service Association, when asked to comment on the Government’s decision. “The law requires a general regrading of the Public Service every five years, but the one duh in 1942 was postponed on account of the war. Consequently the itroduction of stabilisation in 1942 had the effect of pegging Public Service rates of pay at the levels fixed in the last regrading in 1937. It is now nine years since that regrading _ and many anomalies have arisen in the meantime. Mr Hunn added that the Public Service consultative committee had been a unique experiment in conciliation procedure. The results justified the hope that it would. become the conventional method of adjusting major claims. It had been fully recognised by the association’s executive that the Government had been faced with a difficult task in endeavouring to do justice to its employees without departing from a policy which it considered fundamental to the welfare of the c6lnmunity. ' ~ , It had always been very evident thot the Government was prepared to do whatever it was convinced was right. Indeed, it would not otherwise have the setting up of the consultative committee. Mr Hunn hoped that the solid satisfaction which public servants would feel in the settlement would be shared by the Government. “The announcement you have made to-night concerning the salary schedules which will operate in the Post and Telegraph Service will be received with sincere appreciation by our large membership,” said a letter from the retiring president of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association and Officers’ Guild (Mr J. G Churchill), and the presidentelect (Mr G. A. Wilkes), received tonight by the Prime Minister. “These schedules are the culmination of some months of discussion and in-, vestigation within our own department, but in concluding the stages with your Minister''of Finance.

Previous Scale. New Scale. Class VI — £ £ £ First year .. 12G 125 Second year .. Ipl 150 A Third year .. 176 180B Fourth year .. 206 210 Fifth year .. 226 240 Sixth year . . 271 270 Seventh year .. 291 300 . Eighth year .. 321 325 Ninth year . . 341 350 Tenth year .. 364 375 Eleventh year .. 364 400 Twelfth year .. 377 Thirteenth year 393 Class V . 423 435 448 460 Class IV .. . 473' 485 498 510 Class III .. . 523 535 548 560 Class II . 578 585 603 610 Class I . 628 to 653 660 678 to 703 710 Special . 753 760 790 800 840 850