RAILWAYMEN’S DISPUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19198, 14 June 1924, Page 7

RAILWAYMEN’S DISPUTE.

CONSTITUTION OF NE'W BOARD. THE QUESTION OF OVERTIME (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, Juno 13. The hoard to inquire into the rates of pay and conditions of work of the memhers of the second division of the railway service has been constituted as follows; Mr Justice Frazer and Messrs W. Scott and H. Hunter (members of the Arbitration Uourf), Mr J. -Mason (First Assistant General Manager of Railways), and Mr M. ,f. Mack (general secretary of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants). Tho board is instructed to determine whether, and if so, what alterations should bo made in the rates of pay or conditions of work in the second division of the service, bavin ff due regard to the public interest and the maintenance of the railways as a business concern paying reasonable interest on the capital involved. MrJuutice Frazer is appointed chairman, and ibe board is empowered to conduct the inquiry at such times and places as it thinks lit, reporting to the Minister of Railways not later than July 31. Tho hearing will commence on Monday under the conditions which obtained when the old 44-hour week was in force. Before the strike men were paid overtime for time worked in excess of eight hours on any particular day, and in addition to this extra payment, on the daily into they were also paid overtime if it so happened that the week's work ran into more than 44 hours. This double payment of overtime on the daily and weekly computation of hours has now ceased, for the railwaymen have discovered that although they have worked for more than eight hours on a. particular day, hut* yet have not exceeded 44 hours for the week, they have not received any overtime. 1110 department, however, is apparently continuing to pay the special rate for night work between 10 p.m. and 6 n.m. Tho fact that ordinary overtime is not now paid until 48 hours have been worked is interpreted by tho railwaymen as an indication that by going on strike they have lost the eight-hour day.