THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 15056, 27 July 1912, Page 5

THE RAILWAY SERVICE.

BETTER CONDSTIONS GRANTED

SOME OF THE .CONCESSIONS.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.]

Wellington, Friday. | A labv.e number of matters were brought I before the railway authorities recently i by the executive of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, and it" is ; just announced in the official organ of that j body that the following are some of the j concessions made: —Members are to be : supplied with particulars of complaints j against them forwarded to district officers. I Gangers working ballast and work trains I are to be treated the same as enginemen j and guards. The percentage of gangers in sub-clause 11 has been increased from ' 25 to 33£ per cent. (This means an addi- ; tional nine first-grade gangers in every hundred.) The avenue for promotion to car and waggon inspectors is to be open to all who possess the necessary qualifies-. tions. The general manager will carry out the spirit ■of the society's desires. ; When the Act is amended, the tradesmen apprentices' maximum will be increased to 10b a day. Mechanics' pay will be reviewed on the same occasion, and fortnightly pay will be adopted, except for the month of March. Carpenters will be granted 6d per day extra when making new work.

In future, cleaners' time will not be docked. The reply indicates that if a cleaner neglects his work his services will be dispensed with.. The grading of guards, signalmen, storemen, and shunters separately will be gradually carried out. Skilled labourers acting as storemen will be paid j the same as storemen in traffic* and locomotive departments. Men working ships' overtime Will be paid at the same rate as wharf labourers. All guards and assist ants are to be supplied with one meal on the dining-car free. The pay of machinists will receive consideration. Apprentices will be allowed to qualify aa firstclass tradesmen in any shop. Men brought on duty will be paid for two hours. In all departments bits, chisels, and files are to be provided for carpenters. First-class passes are to be given to all employees having at least ten years' service, irrespective of grade. For horse drivers a uniform system of payment for preparing and bedding-down horses. throughout the Dominion will be adopted; a return will be obtained and preference given to the most liberal system. The existing leave rota in * the traffic department will be abolished. Men in charge of six men or over will be paid 6d extra per day for such duties. This applies to the splitting of large gangs. Since the request was made that men engaged as shunters were to be paid as such, the position in respect to shunters has been reviewd, and about 70 additional shunters have been appointed, and shunting gangs strengthened wherever it was considered necessary. Where a porter does four hours a day shunting, he will bo paid at the shunters' rate for the time he works as shunter.

The general manager said " That is a fair thing to look into," when, in, regard to the workshops branoh the general secretary (Mr. Mack) said that if the Department adopted the principle of " No work, no 'pay," deducting the holiday time, surely' when a man worked at night he should be paid extra wages, and workmen should bo allowed to travel home by the first available train. The question of pay, wet or dry, is to be deferred for fuller information. The deduction of 2s for sleeping accommodation provided by the Department will be reduced to Is. Forfeiture of privileges as a punishment will not apply to privileges already earned at the time of the offence. Gangers and surfacemen will be granted leave of absence one day per month as,a reasonable set-off against their half-holiday, and time for walking lengths. This is to be in addition to the time now allowed, for walking lengths, and gangs in large yards {where there is no walking of lengths) will also secure the concession. The minimum wage for juniors, including cleaners, is to be 5s 6d per day. This will be provided for in the amendment to the Classification Act.