SALARIES AND WAGES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 117, 18 April 1931, Page 9

SALARIES AND WAGES

HOSPITAL BOARD’S ACTION. REDUCTIONS OVER £3OOO. ECONOMIES IN STAFF. “Under instructions from tho chairman, I have prepared a suggested, list of salary reductions which have the effect of reducing the total amount paid by the board in salaries by over £3000,” reported the managing-secre-tary of the Palmerston North Hospital Board (Mr A. J. Phillipps) to the special meeting held yesterday afternoon to consider the estimates. All round reductions of 10 per cent, were recommended in the salaries of the administrative staff, with the exception of two cases of hardship, and the board was advised to dispense with the services of a number of employees. The estimate last year for salaries and wages was £16,250 and the actual expenditure was £15.832 12s lOd. The proposed estimate this year was for £15,600. Reporting upon the position, the managing-secretary said: “During the past year we did not pay the full year’s salaries; the major portion of the hospital salaries for March were not paid until April 1. These estimates suggest salary reductions of over £2OOO on this item, as well as some staff reductions. We have received a direct request from the Government to reduce salaries and wages by 10 per cent, and the list of hospital salaries and wages allows for reductions accordingly, except that in assessing the reductions as applied to nurses in training the cost ot board has not been allowed as salary. The scale of salaries for nurses in training at present is: Ist year, £4O; 2nd year, £SO; 3rd year. £6O; 4th year, £BO. It is recommended that the following scale be substituted: Ist year, £4O; 2nd year, £45; 3rd year, £55; 4th year, £6O; and that no annual scale increments whatever be granted this year. “As regards the sisters’ salaries, in assessing the suggested reductions an allowance has been made for the cost of board. If this is not done there is no possibility of our being able to effect the required savings. The scale of salaries for sisters has recently been as follows: Ist year, £120; 2nd year, £130; 3rd year, £140; 4th year, £1.50. Senior sisters with 10 years’ experience, £160; night sisters (maximum), £160; theatre sister (maximum), £160; tutor sister (maximum), £l6O. it is suggested that the scale of salaries for sisters .iow be: Ist year, £lO7 10s; 2nd year, £ll7 10s; 3rd. year, £125; 4th year, £l3O senior sisters and maximum salary for sisters, £l4O. The reduction thus suggested ranges from £l2 10s on the lowest grade to £2O on the highest, an average cut of under 10 per cent, when the cost of board is allowed for. As regards the matron and the submatron, it is suggested that the cuts be: matron £3O and sub-matron £2O. In both cases this will be on almost exactly the same basis as the sisters’ salaries are cut. CHANGES IN STAFF. “As regards the domestic staff. 1 have gone fully into the position with the matron and the suggested new scales are as near as possible to the 10 per cent, reduction all round including the cost of board. Housemaids and wardsmaids under the new scale will commence at 22s 6d per week with board and lodgings rising to a 25s maximum per week after twelve months’ service. “As regards the nursing staff, economies can be made without dispensing with services, if the board agrees to the suggestion that nurses who have completed three years’ training and qualified be not retained in the board’s employ unless their services are urgently needed. There are a large number of nurses due to qualify this year, and we will not have sufficient senior positions to retain the services of the whole of these nurses for the fourth year, and, if the matron is given discretionary power to retain only the most suitable of these as senior nurses, a considerable reduction can be effected. As regards other nurses in training, there are a few nurses whoso services the matron reports are not proving thoroughly satisfactory and some three or four should be dispensed with. “By rearrangement of duties I find that the staff of female domestics can be reduced by three, and the staff of porters should be reduced by one. “As regards tho outdoor staff, I suggest that the grounds staff be reduced by putting the two men working under the head gardener on a half-time basis for this year. 1 suggest this rather than dispense with the services of either one of them. In the same way I suggest that the two assistants working with the engineer on maintenance repairs be put on a four day a week basis. I would be very reluctant indeed to suggest these arrangements were we not dealing with exceptional circumstances, as these four men have all ji given good service and are all married linen. NEED FOR ECONOMIES. |‘ “It will be realised that some of the | foregoing recommendations may be f rather drastic, but I do not consider ; wo,can carry on satisfactorily without closing at least one ■ward if the economies suggested regarding salaries and staff are not carried out. I might mention that I have conferred on this whole matter with the medical superintendent, matron and accountant, who are all in accord with these recommendations.” The estimates, which provided for the reductions suggested, were adopted.