Public Servants Dissatisfied: Pay Questions

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 October 1949, Page 9

Public Servants Dissatisfied: Pay Questions

DUNEDIN, October 4 (P.A.).—Dissatisfaction at the delay in arriving at a satisfactory form of tribunal to deal with the claims of public servants was expressed at a well-attended meeting of public servants in Dunedin thi? evening, says a statement issued after the meeting. “Two years ago when the margins and anomalies committee was set up by the Government to consider rates of pay in the service in comparison with ruling rates in industry, public servants expected some redress to their unfavourable financial position,” says the statement. “In general ternte this committee recommended to the Government increases of up to £35 a year from October 1, 1947, but the Government declined to implement these recommendations and introduced overnight legislation creating a tribunal, which it is clainied was totally incompetent, to deal-with the claims, particularly in regard to margins for skill and responsibility. Io prove this point it is only necessary to consider the case of one service organisation which made a claim to the tribunal for a £35 increase based on the findings of the margins and anomalies committee, and was granted only £22 from July 1. 1948. Yet on June 1, 1949, the Arbitration Court granted a general increase of £35 io workers in industry. “Public servants have not yet participated in this increase, but have now been given to understand that the £22.which they naturally understood would be in settlement, of the margins and anomalies is to be offset against the general increase granted to workers outside the service. “Members considered that they were far from unreasonable in asking for a satisfactory judicial body to consider ’their claims, and the following resolution was passed unanimously: ‘This meeting of Otago public servants expresses impatience with the Government’s delay in giving its decision regarding improvements to the Public Service Tribunal. We consider that we are now entitled to an immediate decision and our executive officers are requested to obtain this without further delay and to. ensure that the necessary legislation is passed tliis session.’