SERVICE INQUIRY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23414, 2 August 1939, Page 14

SERVICE INQUIRY

POST AND TELEGRAPH EMPLOYEES' GRIEVANCES COMMITTEES TO BE SET UP EARLY START EXPECTED Following prolonged representations to tho department and the PostmasterGeneral by service organisations and individuals, it has been decided to set up two committees to inquiro into grievances of employees in all branches of tho Post and Telegraph service, according to information received in Auckland. One committee will deal with matters concerning tho engineering section of the service, including all types*of tradesmen, and tho other will handle questions relating to tho non-engineer-ing sido. Both committees will bo presided over by Mr. 11. E. Price, Conciliation Commissioner, of Auckland. , Choice of Personnel Tho committees are expected to begin their inquiries within tho next week. They will consist in each case of three departmental representatives and three service representatives, in addition to tho chairman. Two of tho servico delegates on each committee will bo appointed by the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees' Association. Representations made over a considerable period by tho association liavo resulted in ..considerable progress recently, but tho issuo is stated to have been complicated by independent requests from single employees or groups of employees. The two committees will have a wide order of reference, including a considerable number of specific grievances advanced on behalf of tho service. Tho majority of these relate to wage rates for workers at various grades and methods of promotion from different sub-divisions and classes. Overtime payments will also come up for consideration and the committees will be empowered to inquiro into any other, matters considered expedient by the Postmaster-General. Rate of Salaries Among tho chief matters to be raised is the rate of salaries paid to certain junior officers whose promotions wero delayed through the depression. It is considered in tho servico that tho inquiry will reveal some remarkable facts about the rates paid to some classes of young officers up to the ago of about 28, as compared with tho scales ruling in private business. Acting as advocates before tho committees, officials of tho Post'and Telegraph Employees' Association will call evidence where necessary in support of their organisation's case.