A WAITING GAME

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19147, 15 April 1924, Page 7

A WAITING GAME

THE RAILWAY CRISIS. HO fresh developments. SITUATION DELICATE AND CONFUSED. STRONG OPPOSITION TO 48-HOUR WEEK. DEPUTATION TO MR MASSEY. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON. April 14. There have been no fresh developments in the railway situation to-day and the position is somewhat confused, and is admittedly delicate, but within the next 24 hours there should be some tangible indication of what vne course of events in the immediate future is going to be. Meanwhile the A.S.K.S. strike ballot is proceeding and to-morrow morning the Alliance of Labour, with which the A.S.R.S. is affiliated, will meet to consider what action shall bo taken in support of the railwaymen. The hope is entertained, even though tho first Wages Board broke down, that the questions in. dispute will yet bo amicably settled by reference to another board. There is some possibility, perhaps a remote one, that the executive of the A.SI.R.S. will meet the Minister of Railways this afternoon to discuss the situation. The pivotal point in the situation has reference to the hours question. Apparently the A.S.R.S. is determined to oppose any extension from 44 hours to 48 hours per week, and the Minister and the department are certain that it is impossible to conduct an efficient service and to give concessions to tho public on anything less. If a break finally comes it will bo over the hours’ issue. There seems to have been some suggestion made for referring the dispute to another board, but the point to be made clear here is whether the A.S.R.S. will still insist on the question of wages being decided before other matters are touched on. Both sides appear to bo playing a waiting game. Each party seems to regard the next move as being due to come from the other side. To-day Mr Connelly (president of the A.S.K.S.) stated that a deputation from the executive had waited on the Prime Minister on Saturday, and asked him for an increase in wages. It was pointed out to Mr Massey that a deadlock had arisen. “He discussed the matter with us at some length,” added Mr Connelly, “and said he would refer it to Cabinet. We definitely refused to go back to the 48-hour week, but stated we were prepared to negotiate without adhering to the demand for half-a-crown a day increase. The society expects the next move to come from Minister in reply to the deputation, MARKING TIME. TO STRIKE OR NOT TO STRIKE? men not unanimous. (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, April 14. There is no official news to-day regarding the position created as the result of the demands of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. The second division, which is precipitating the crisis, is composed of guards, porters, signalmen, shunters, storemen, platelayers, gangers, carpenters, blacksmiths, fitters, painters, plumbers, bricklayers, tram examiners, electricians, night-watchmen, bridge-keepers, and crossing-keepers. Whatever may be the result of Use ballot, it is quite certain that, though the executive may favour a strike, the rank and file are not at all unanimous on the point. In fact, quite a number are very strongly opposed to it, and if a strike is called there will be dissension in the camp, EASTER HOLIDAYS. The threat of a strike is likely seriously to interfere with the earnings of the Ranway Department during the Easter holidays. Already many people are thinking of cancelling their holiday pldns, or of altering them so that they will not be stranded in the event of a railway hold-up. Of course, nowadays the motor car makes those who can afford it independent of t ra jns in so ffir mod©r3>t© cust&ncos cntci into their holiday places, but the great mass of the people, if stranded at considerable distances from their homes, could not afford to hire motor cars to take them back if ter the trains had stopped running. On present appearances, therefore, the Railway Department cannot look forward with any degree of certainty to a very large Eastgr egS ‘ , ANOTHER BOARD. There is nothing in the suggestion that another board should be appointed to deal with the matter. The last board failed to effect a settlement, and it is just as likely that another board would find itself in tho same situation. The disputants cannot go on having boards indefinitely. ine A S.R S. agreed to the last board, and it is understood that even the chairman was selected in accordance with its wishes. Therefore, in regard to the appointment ol that board, it can have nothing to complain of. THE FORTY-EIGHT-HOUR WEEK. The general public seems to have been greatly impressed with the succinct statement made by tho Minister of Railways last night and particularly with that part of it which shows that with a 43-hour week he can give a better railway service, reduce feres and freights, pay 33 per cent, interest on capital, and at the same time increase the wages of tho men. No other railway system in the world. is now working entirely on a 44-hour week. Several countries that tried it have reverted to tho 48hour wofik* and if a ballot of th©* people of New Zealand could be taken it would probably show a large majority for tho 48hoiir week, which would involve no hardship on the railway servants, and would improve the railways and make them pay. WAGES BOARD’S REPORTS. HOURS OF WORK AND PAY. NEED FOR CO-ORDINATION. PRESENT SYSTEM CONDEMNED. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April 14. The text of the reports bv the three parties on the Railway Wages Board was published this morning and runs to many columns in length. The majority parts A however, are anticipated by the statements already published by tile Minister and the A.S.E.S. reply to him. The principal is the chairman’s report. In this Mr Acland says: “Mr Connelly said he was not prepared to go on with tho 72 remits unless the wages question was first dealt with. As this would merely have postponed them, and he felt he could not properly arrive at a decision without hearing all tho evidence, more or less of a deadlock arose.” After stating it was clear that tho railwaymen could not be profitably employed for full time in any one day or week. Mr Acland says: “It was repeatedly stated that wages were the paramount question, and what they were after was money; but no suggestion was made whereby the department would receive additional value for an increase. Tho men flatly refused to go back to tho 48-hour week. “It is clear,” said tho chairman, “that there is continuous conflict between the management on the one hand, trying to make a system constructed regardless of business methods show a reasonable return, and a largo number of men on the other, desperately anxious to improve their standard of living.” Mr Acland continues; “It was agreed by every member of the board that it should lie made possible for the second division to improve its standard of living, but there was a sharp division as to how to obtain this position.” , „ . . Speaking generally, the Chairman is or opinion that the whole system requires revision, and he does not see how it can be done without returning to a system and hours of work under which pay and useful wrrk arc co-ordinated. If an increase in the basic rate is given without reorganisation of hours and conditions, ho does not mo iunr oi tho real problems will be

solved, and the railwaymen ■would bo re- | ceiving more than the community values its servants at, upsetting tho relative values of labour generally, and creating an aristocracy of labour in this department. No sufficient facts were placed before the board to enable him to form an opinion as to the best method of obtaining an improvement in the wages and conditions of tho staff. The society contended that sufficient attention was not given to suggested improvements of tho staff in the past. The Chairman believes that considerable economies can be effected with much greater efficiency, and a resultant improvement in finance which would enable higher wages to be paid for better service. Though the department demands better • service—and the staff may bo anxious to give it —both are. prevented by the present systenn from bringing about such a result, and appear to bo "'frozen, in” by existing conditions. The Chairtnan ends by stating that though Mr Connelly was prepared to recede from his demand for 2s 6d a day extra in order to bring about a settlement, and asked if Mr Acland could not make an offer, ho had not felt justified in doing so, repeating his opinion that tho whole of the evidence must first be heard. • CASE FOE THE A.S.R.S. MINISTER’S ATTITUDE ATTACKED. STATEMENT, BV MR CONNELLY. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April Mr M. Connelly (president of the A.S.K.S.) made the following statement in regard to the present railway dispute:— “It would appear now that the Minister, in order to bolster his already weak base against the raihvaymen, has endeavoured to gain tho support of a section of the public by telling it what he can give it if it will only assist him m keeping the railwaymen below a living wage—pay 33 per cent, and reduce fares, etc. lie has, however, overlooked tolling them that sevtial leading and successful business man, who are also economists, have said that low wages and long hours mean leas production. This is in effect a challenge to the methods of tho department of which tho Minister is political head, if, as stated, tho railways cannot be worked on a 44-hour basis as was done under tho previous Minister, then it provides good ground why some reorganisation should take place in the administration of tno railways, and this is supported by the views of the chairman of the board as expressed in his report, published yesterday, Tho Minister states that the Government did everything possible to bring about a settlement of the dispute, but ills refusal to discuss wages with us does not bear this out, nor does his subsequent utterances demanding that the men give up their conditions and go back to a 48-hour week in order to get a measure of relief suggest that ho is approaching the position in a conciliatory spirit. The contention that if tho men went back to a 48-hour week they would bo 7s 3d per week better off is quite untenable. The figures have been produced to show that in one year the cost of living rose so rapidly that it reduced the purchasing power of tho men’s wages by 17s per week. It only requires a brief calculation to see how long, at the same rate, it would take the cost of living to absorb the 7s 3d per week which the Minister so generously offers us. Briefly, the men would, after five months, be in exactly the same place so far as the purchasing- power of their wages is concerned as they are to-day, but they would have made a present of four hours more of their time per week for other people to make profits off. Fortunately, the members of the society recognise this. Tho statement that the society's action in refusing to go on with other remits before wages wore settled was unprecedented is without foundation. As at the 1920 Wages Board progress was made on wages first. It now seems that whilst tho country’s finances are in a state of buoyancy and there is great prosperity in the country, as stated by tho Prime Minister, it is the intention of the Government to reduce taxation at the earliest opportunity, but the Minister is not prepared to allow the railwaymen to participate in this prosperity. In taking up this attitude he is forcing the men to take drastic action to enforce their claims for a fair standard of living for their wives and children. “As stated previously, the society is still prepared to forego their original demand for 2s 6d per day, and negotiate witli the Government on the wage question.” At a meeting of tho Executive Committee of the Railway Officers’ Institute held this evening the question of the prosenLrailway industrial unrest was fully discussed, and the unanimous opinion of the committee was that the A.S.R.S. claims wore based on sound grounds. The feeling of the committee was one of sympathy with the members of sister organisations, and hopes were expressed that their efforts to improve the wages and conditions of tho service would meet with success. MINISTERS INTERVIEWED. NOTHING NEW TO ADD. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, April 14. Interviewed by a Times reporter this afternoon, the Hon. J. O. Coates (Minister of Railways) stated that he would submit to Cabinet to-morrow the three reports from the Railway Wages Board —namely, the report of tho chairman (Mr H. D. Acland), that of the Railway Department’s representatives, and that of the A.S.R.S. representatives. Nothing new had transpired during the day, stated the Minister, and ho had nothing’ vdiatcver to add to the statements he had already made on the subject. The Prime Minister informed the reporter that he had made no offer of a new wages board to the A.S.R.S. representatives, as was stated by some newspapers. Ho could not understand how such an idea had got about. NOTHING TO ADD TO REPORT. STATEMENT BY MR ACLAND. (Per United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 14. Dir H. D. Acland (chairman of the Railway Wages Board) stated to-day that he did not wish to say anything in amplification of his report to the Minister “I think I_ have made my position sufficiently dear without discussing the matter further. I’m in enough hot water already,” Mr Acland remarked. ADDINGTON WORKSHOPS. OFFICIALS URGE CAUTION. (Pee United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, April 14. The workers at tno Addington workshops were urged by the Christchurch officials of the A.S.R.S. at the mid-day meeting to be very careful of the action they decided on when the ballot papers came to hand. The meeting was largely attendee), and was addressed by officials on the general points of the question. It was stated that no other official news than that which had already appeared in the newspapers had been received by the branch from the A.S.R.S. Executive. No official communication from the A.S.R.S. had been received by the Christchurch branch up to the present. Local opinion is that the executive of tho A.S.R.S. is making every effort to discuss the matter with Cabinet before the ballot patera are sent out. WANGANUI RAILWAYMEN. SUGGESTION TO THE EXECUTIVE. (Per United Press Association.) WANGANUI, April 14. A special general meeting of the local branch of the A.S.R.S. carried the following resolution;—“That the executive be urged to avail itself of the opportunity to make representations to a new board, if set up, before putting the result of the ballot into operation.” Tho meeting was the biggest, gathering of railwaymen*evcr held in Wanganui. LABOUR MEMBER QUESTIONED. NOT PREPARED TO ADVISE RAILWAYMEN. At his meeting in North Dunedin last night Mr John E. Loo, Labour M.P. for Auckland East, was questioned in regard to the thre.‘toned railway trouble. He stated that ho could not undertake to advise the railwaymen. Labour, however, recognised that they had claims, and ho behoved that another tribunal should bo set ua at once.

and that the question of wages should not be shelved until other points were decided. There were many men in the service earning only £3 iSs 9d per week, and that was not a largo wage for a man with a family nowadays. He would be sorry to see a reversion to a 48-hour week or to see any of tho ground lost that the men had gained. .He considered ..that the utterances of responsible Ministers was more likely to add fuel to tho flames than to encourage confidence in the railwayman’s ranks. WAGES ADJUSTMENT. THE 44-HOUR WEEK. LOCAL RAILWAYMEN’S VIEWS Several local railway employees, when interviewed last, night, expressed the opinion that unless the Government made some satisfactory wages adjustment on a 44-hour week basis—-for under no circumstances whatever would a 48-hour week be considered—a strike would almost certainly follow. “There is a general feeling of discontent,” said one, “ for we do not consider that the Government has treated us fairly. Whenever there is to be a cut in wages it appears that the railway service is the first to suffer.” He remarked also that their’s was one of the poorest paid of all the Government departments. A porter, he said, after 20" years’ service, was. in the eyes of the department, worth only 18d a day more than when he started.