DUNEDIN DEMAND FOR NEW TRIBUNAL FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS

Grey River Argus, 5 October 1949, Page 3

DUNEDIN DEMAND FOR NEW TRIBUNAL FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS

P.A. DUNEDIN, Oct. 4 ‘‘At a well attended meeting of public servants held in Dunedin tonight, extreme dissatisfaction was expressed by members at the continued delay in' arriving at a satisfactory form of tribunal to deal with just claims of public servants” says a statement issued after the meeting. ‘‘Two years ago when the Margins and Anomalies Committee was set up by the Government to consider the rates of pay in the service in comparison with the ruling rates in industry, the public servants expected some redress to their unfavourably financial position. In general terms, this committee recommended to the Government increased of up to £35 per annum from October 1 ,1947, but the Government declined to implement those recommendations, and introduced overnight legislation creating the tribunal, which, it is claimed, was totally incompetent to deal with claims, particularly in regard to margins for skill and responsibility. To prove this point it is only necessary to consider the case of one service organisation which made a claim to its tribunal for a £35 increase based on findings of the margins and anomalies committee. It was granted only £22 from July 1, 1948. Yet on June 1, 1949, the Arbitration Court granted a general increase of £35 to workers in industry. Public servants have not yet participated in this increase, but have now been p-iven to understand that the £23 increase, which they naturally understood would be in settlement of 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. The following resolution was passed unanimously: ‘This meeting of Otago public servants expresses impatience with the Governments 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 furthen delay and tot ensure that necessary legislation is passed this session.’ ”