SECTIONAL RISES IN PAY GRANTED TO RAILWAYMEN

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23217, 31 March 1950, Page 6

SECTIONAL RISES IN PAY GRANTED TO RAILWAYMEN

(P.A.) WELLINGTON. March 30. The claims by the four railways service organisations for general increases in wages have all been disallowed by the Railways Industrial Tribunal. The tribunal gave majority decisions to this effect yesterday. The employees' member of the tribunal, Mr. E. A. Whitlow, dissented from the view of the chairman, Judge Stihvell, and the Government member, Mr. E. Casey. The decision stated that increases granted last year corresponding with the standard wage pronouncement had preserved the margin of railway wage rates above standard rates. There had been no changes since last June to warrant more general increases. The tribunal allowed certain sectional claims. These granted increases to the following: Watchmen, li>d an hour: leading tradesmen, Id an hour; registered plumbers, Id an hour: leading cable jointers, lid an hour: cable jointers, lid an hour in the third year: train examiners, Jd an hour: lifters, Id an hour; charge hands allowance, Id an hour.

Unanimous Opinion

The tribunal unanimously disallowed claims' by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for increases for guards and shunters in charge of engines in A grade yards, maintenance and workshops crane drivers, storemen's assistants and traction linesmen.

Claims for a free supply and laundering of protective clothing to all employees whose work requires it and for a free supply of waterproof clothing to employees working in all weathers were also disallowed unanimously. The tribunal took the view that the existing provision of waterproof clothing _ was satisfactory for shunters and examiners and said that a further extension of the pooling system was desirable for others.

Mr. Whitlow dissented from the decision disallowing a claim for increased wages for traction electricians when working on the maintenance of traction sub-stations. General increases claimed were: Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, Cd an hour -for all employees; Railway Tradesmen’s Association. Gd an hour for leading tradesmen and tradesmen with proportionate increases for apprentices; Engine Drivers, Firemens anj* Cleaners’ Association, Gd an hour for engine-drivers, 3d an hour for firemen and lid an hour for cleaners; Railway Officers’ Institute, increases varying in different grades.