MEN DISAPPOINTED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21853, 25 October 1945, Page 6

MEN DISAPPOINTED

NO GENERAL INCREASE DIRTY COAL ALLOWANCE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 24. “We are naturally disappointed at the tribunal's failure to grant our application Tot a general wage increase,” said Mr. P. Johnson, national president of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, after 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. This 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 oi' the community. We had 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, of course, will be considered by our national executive council which meets next month.” Increased Coal Allowance The general secretary of the Enginedrivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association, Mr T. H. Stephenson, commenting on the increased coal allowance, said: "i’he allowance that is granted now is to be reviewed in six months. If the coal position improves then naturail) that additional allowance will go. There doeg'not seem to be much prospect or the position improving so tar as I can see. “The dirty coal position in the laianaki district will be reviewed by a conference which meets next \\ ednesday and the men themselves have agreed to carry on until the end oi the year. This is only out of loyalty to the department and the Government and in an endeavour to give the public the benefit of the increased supplies that might be available'for travel at Christmas time. If it were not for the fact that that coal will be burned between now and Christmas it would mean that trains that might be run now could not possibly run. Comment on behalf of the Railway Officers’ Institute was not available yesterday in the absence from Welling-, ton of tne general secretary, Mr. J. bRoscoe, who is m the South Island. The national president, Mr. J. W. shepherd, is in Auckland. Mr T. F. Gebbie, general secretary of the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, expressed disappointment at the rejection of some of the major claims, but remarked that certain worthwhile advances had been made. He added that after a study of the findings he would make a statement on behalf of the R.T.A.