RAILWAY DISPUTE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19203, 20 June 1924, Page 6

RAILWAY DISPUTE.

MATS’ ISSUES SETTLED. WAGES, HOURS, AND OVERTIME. (Pee United Peess Association.) WELLINGTON, June 19. In three days’ argument before the Railway Inquiry Board the three main claims relating to wages, hours, and overtime have been disposed of, and now the 60 or 70 minor clauses of the A.S.R.S. demands are under consideration. To-day Mr Sterling, for tho department, submitted a counter-demand that surfacemen should always start and cease work at the same time. This, he said, would maki* for greater efficiency in the service. He also offered an allowance in lieu of payment for travelling time. On behalf of the society, Mr Connolly contended that the object of the proposal was to get additional time out of the men. Opposing tho request that casual quarrymen be paid full time for wet weather, Mr Sterling denied that tho men were in any sense permanent bands, and said that they wore ordinary labourers, and were treated as such by tho department. Mr Connolly dealt at length with the necessity for shunting gangs in large yards to be composed of not fewer than three classified shunters. It was also asked that where three or fewer men were continuously employed in shunting operations they should be classified as shunters, and paid accordingly. Spooking of overtime, IN I r Sterling saici that it would be recognised that in the transport service night work could not ho avoided When that time was ordinary time there was no reason why any extra rate should be paid. Tho claim of the society was that the men should be paid time and a-half between 6 p.m. and 6 a.in. Mr Hunter; There is extra expense in. the home when a man is on night work. Mr Connolly said the society agreed that Eonie night work was unavoidable, but as it was an unnatural time for tho men to bo working it was desires! that some cheek should be rut upon tho department. The men were entitled to a special rate when they were required to work between 6 p.m. ail'd 6 a.m. It should be understood that time and a-quarter in ,tho Railway Department meant time aim one-oignth. For instance, a 2s an hour man who was on time and a-quarter would get 2s 6d, whereas time and a-quarter in the railways worked cut at 2s s?d Mr Connolly advocated that tablet porters bo paid for overtime on the same basis as other work instead of time off. The churn of the society was that the lime worked on departmental holidays should not bo used in computing the week’s pyv. Mr Connolly said the present position was unfair io the men. The regulation concerned gave the department a. double-headed penny, Mr Sterling contended that Mr Connolly bud not properly appreciated the position. Another request by the society was teat any muu brought on duty on any ono day should be paid for at a minimum of not less than an hour. Mr Connolly said this was very important to the society. The locomotive men had this privilege, but members of the A.S.R.S. had not. Tho men most affected were the traffic men. At times men were brought cu for half an hour or other short periods. The board will sit again to-morrow.