RAILWAY MEN

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 29 August 1924, Page 9

RAILWAY MEN

RECOMMENDATIONS OF BOARD. LITTLE CONCEDED. (BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) CHRISTCHURCH, Aug. 29. It is stated here that the principal findings of the special board set up for the purpose of considering the claims of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants are:

Wages.—No. alteration in the present hourly rate. The night rates which exist at present, being time and a quarter between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., are, to be abolished. This applies principally to the traffic branch. Hours.—A ballot of workshops men to be taken on the following alternatives: (a) Forty-eight hour week with the present wages, and (b) forty-four hour week with wages reduced accordingly. Overtime rates are to be paid workshop employees after eight and three-quarter hours .and eight hours’ work daily respectively. The forty-eight hour week is to remain for all other blanches as at present. Alon employed in the traffic branch are to work a ten-hour day before they will be entitled to overtime at the rate of time and a half.

It is understood that the findings of the board were not unanimous, and that Messrs Hunter and Alack submitted a minority report. If the findings are adopted men will be placed m a position much worse than at present, as the abolition of night rates and the condition that they must work ten hours before receiving •overtime will hit them very hard. The only concession apparently .recommended is that the workshops men are to be allowed to decide whether they will work a forty-eight or forty-four week with the present or reduced rates of pay respectively.