By Telegraph.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XLIV, Issue 14042, 27 April 1920, Page 3

By Telegraph.

(Snecial to-the Oamaru Mail.) WELLINGTON, April 27, The Association which has declared for the strike has a. membership of 2000, comprising practically all the enginemen, firemen, and cleaners in. the service. There are a few in the Amalgamated Society, but assuming these remain at work in accordance with the Amalgamated Executive's decision to await the Government's reply regarding the investigation tribunal, they are quite insufficient to run even a, bare minimum service. It is understood that until the Loco Association's decision was handed to the press, the Amalgamated- Society was unaware of the momentous step. ■ '.,«,» WELLINGTON, April 27. The claims of the Locomotive Association are for a 75 per cent, addition upon a basic wage of 12s a day for engineers, making a maximum or 21s a day. The Association - asks for. a 25 per cent, minimum and a 50 per cen£. maximum over the basic wage for firemen, making the minimum 15s, a day and the maximum 18s; cleaners wages to be 12s a day. Rate-and ahalf is asked for : all, work between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., arid for all time worked in excess of eight hours "a day; double time to be paid on the hours worked in excess of 60. weekly. A meal allowance of 2s is asked for where duty exceeds 10 hours in a shift; leave of absence and accident pay will be the same as for the First Division, namely, full pay. A bonus of £2O is to be paid to each engineer who has been engaged on a shunting or train engine, whose conduct is certified _as satisfactory and who has not met with an accident attributable to his want of care within the preceding : two years. The Association also demands payment on a mileage basis for men running fast trains. The Association asks for the abolition of the present .system of classification in. grades, this ,to be superseded by a rule that any member who passes "the -necessary examinations and has completed ■ ten years' service is to be entitled to the. minv mum pay for an engineer.