BRITISH RAILWAYS CRISIS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19060, 3 July 1925, Page 9

BRITISH RAILWAYS CRISIS.

PROPOSED CUT IN WAGES. WHAT THE COMPANIES OFFER / ' RECIPROCAL SACRIFICES. By Tolesraph—Press Association—Copyright. (Received 8.5 p.m.) A. and N.E. LONDON, July 2. The details of the railway companies' scheme for a cut in wages have bqen published. The companies ask tho trades unions to agree temporarily that all employees shall bo subject to a reduction of 5 per cent, from their gross wages. In return for this tho companies will agree to a similar cut in directors' fees and officers' salaries. Superannuation contributions and payments aro to continue to be biased on the standard salaries and wages. Tho companies undertake to restore the full working week to the railway workshops which aro at present idle or on short time. They proposo that the new agreement shall operate for 12 months, and that after that it shall be terminable at three months' notice. The position is to be reviewed each year, with a view to an adjustment of tho percentage of the reductions. The unions continue to insist that stockholders should also be subject to a reduction in dividends if the workers agree, but the companies lay stress on the legal difficulties in that connection. It is understood that if the proposals are agreed to they will effect a saving of nearly £6,000,000 a year. The following tables show tho standard and current rates of wages of certain of the railwaymen of various grades in London and in tho industrial aid rural areas, and the effect of tho company's proposals, v made a few weeks ago, compared with thoso put forward by the men. For a number of grades tho current rate is higher than the standard rate by reason of the operation of the cost-of-living sliding scale. It is the current rate (which may also be the standard rate) which is given below:—

LONDON. Current Union's Co.'s Rate Claim Claim Parcel porter . . . . 52/0 63/0-68/0 48/0 Shunter (Class 1) . . 65/0 78/0 61/0 Station foreman . . 05/0 78/0 01,0 Yard foreman (Class 1) 75/0 88/0 71/0 Guard (sixth year) . . 05/0 78/0 61/0 Traffic regulator . . 80/0 108/0 76/0 Goods porter . . . . 52/0 63/0 48/0 Carter 55/0 73/0 51/0 Engines driver . 72/0-90/0 16/0 68/0-80/0 a day Fireman and assistant motor-man . . 57/0-72/0 12/6 53/0-68/0 a day RURAL. Current Union's Co.'s Rato Claim Claim Parcel porter . . . . 52/0 60/0-65/0 46/0 Shunter (Class 1) . . 65/0 75/0 59/0 Station foreman . . 65/0 75/0 59/0 Yard foreman (Class 1) 75/0 85/0 69/0 Guard (sixth year) . . 65/0 75/0 59/0 Traffic regulator . . 80/0 105/0 74/0 Goods porter . . . . 48/0 60/0 42/0 Carter 51/0 70/0 45/0 Engine driver . 72/0-90/0 16/0 66/0-84./0 a day* Fireman and assistant motor-man . . 57/0-72/0 12/6 51/0-66/0 a day