RAILWAY WORKERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 7929, 12 October 1911, Page 5

RAILWAY WORKERS

THE POSITION OF " CASUALS.

There was some discussion on the position of casual hands employed by the Railway Department in the House yesterday afternoon. ... . , , Jlr D McLaren asked the Minister of Railways -whether the casual goods-shed men who are employed by the hour are entitled to receive a day's payw or a holiday on pay for Dominion Day, the earn© as is granted to the men on the P^^ n |lonf t j-. ‘ Millar said that all employees, whether permanent or casual, who are paid'at a daily rate had been granted a day’s leave on pay for Dominion Day. The arrangement did not, however, apply to casual men who are employed by the hour. Such men are paid for the time they work. Mr McLaren expressed himself dissatisfied with the Minister's answer. Mr Ell suggested that an alteration ought to be made in the present system of engaging casual labour, which should receive the greatest consideration. Men were engaged for, a fortnight, say, and then cast off for a week. They were much worse off than the permanent men, and averaged no more than Ids. There should he a list, as in the case of goods sheds, by which the man in most regular attendance would be called on first. Mr G. Witty said that the position was doubly hard because a casual was afraid to take other work for fear of missing his chance of work at the shops. It would be fairer if the men were allowed to stay a month on instead of a fortnight.