PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 18444, 4 January 1922, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE SALARIES

‘ CASE AGAINST DECREASE.

The attitude of the civil service to any reduction in salaries is very strongly eet forth in the Public Service Journal just issued. It says: Officers in touch with public service affairs know well that the conditions on which the £SO cost of living increase was granted, in April, 1920, to' all public servants (railwayman, postal officials, teachers, and ourselves) was that, in ’ the event of the living cost dropping 10 points below the increase (62 per cent.) shown at that time, we were to suffer a proportionate decrease, amounting approximately to £6 per annum for officers drawing £165 per annum or less and to £ls per annum for officers receiving more than that amount. When Mr Massey made his announcement of a possible 10 per cent reduction or more, the executive within 24- hours had the full forces of the association at work. We believe that the result of our unceasing activities and vigilance, combined with that of tho other service organisations, will be that the reduction, proposals, which we expect to be introduced next month, will be on a much more modest scale than was originally intended. Our position to-day ja that it the cost of living is' practically down to 52 per cent., the point mentioned in our agreement, then in the ordinary course we must accept a decrease’ referred to, though on account of the fact that. the Arbitration Court has stabilised the wages of workers coining within its jurisdiction to March 51 next, we will oppose ‘any decrease before that time. It tho Government attempts in its proposals to go further than this, then it is breaking its agreement, and the service associations must combat them with all their strength. We hope that tho Prime Minister will remember the words uttered by the Arbitration Court judge: “I do not know what claims there are on the nation’s resources which should have priority over the just wages of tho nation’s employees.” It will be seen from the figures published elsewhere that the cost-of-living index number for November shows a fall to slightly below the 52 per cent, referred to in the article —viz., 51.87.