RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18225, 19 October 1922, Page 8

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE. AGREEMENT WITH E.F.C.A. \Xt TELBGBAPH.--FnES£i ASSOCIATION.} WELLINGTON. Weduwasy. In moving the second reading this afternoon of the Government Railways | Amendment Bill, the Hon. D. H. Guthrie explained that it was designed to give effect to tiie Wages Board's de<asion»; also to provide for the reclassification of railway employees and fix distance as a basis on which passenger fares and freights shall be made. The Bill also provided a penalty up to £50 for misdescription of Crnods offered for carriage ©n the railway. Ibis was desired in order to prevent abuse of the concessions now granted in the carriage of manure and lime for the use of farmers. Mr. W. A. Veitch (Wanganui), while agreeing that the Bill conferred certain benefits, said he hoped other railwaymen'a organisations beside the E.F.C.A. would have an opportunity of being heard by the Railways Committee before the Bill was passed. He feared the reclassification proposal, however, wati loaded with possibilities of reductions in the increments of pay to the men. ■='•' : The Minister replied that the Bill would not affect increments in anv way. Mr. T«- M. Wilford, "Leader of the Opposition, asked that the Minister should produce the existing agreement between the E.F.C.A. and the 'Sovernmcnt, so that the House could see for itself whether the Bill carried into effect the provisions of the agreement. . - Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party, concurred in this suggestion, and pointed out that the schedule to the Bill showed a iilight reduction in wages.' The Minister interdicted that this was due to the "cut*" Mr. Holland said there had been an understanding that no reduction would be made in the locomotive men's < pay, and now they found this Bill providing for a "cut." He considered the Government would find this aspect of the matter difficult to explain. Mr. H. Atmore (Nelson) supported the demand for the production of the agreement. . The Minister said the adjustments proposed in the Bill applied only to the E.F.C.A., and did not affect the A.S.R.S. or the Officers'. Institute at all. The officers said they did not like the proposals, but in the financial circumstances of the country they would not stand in the Government's way. The A.S.R.S. complained that some of their ranks had not been paid as well as they Bhould have been, and refused to consider the matter at all. The E.F.C.A. met the Government fairly, and expressed a willingness to accept a "cut" in wages and forego certain privileges. An agreement embodying these things was entered into between the general manager and the E.F.C.A. He refuted the suggestion that there was any- j thing discreditable in the relations between the Government and anyone connected with the E.F.C.A. * j The Bill was read a second time.