RAILWAY SERVICE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25668, 17 October 1944, Page 6

RAILWAY SERVICE

. CLAIMS FOR HIGHER WAGES

TRADESMEN’S CASE PRESENTED (PA..) WELLINGTON, Oct. 16. The claim by the Railway Tradesmen’s Association for an increase of 8d an hour, including the cost-of-living allowance, was heard by the Railways Tribunal to-day. Mr T. F. Gebbie, general secretary of the association, detailed the grounds on which the claim rested, including the responsibility carried by the tradesmen in the performance of their work, which had increased with the development of the industry, the training required, the degree of skill it was necessary for a tradesman to acquire to meet modem development, and the wide variety of work to which his skill J could be applied. The necessity for making the trades more attractive by means of proper rates of remuneration was stressed, so ensuring an adequate supply of skilled workers for the future development of the industry; also equitable compensation for peculiar and more greatly restricted conditions of railway employment; compensation for lack of opportunity for the majority of tradesmen to gain further advancement; necessity for retaining and attracting into the service skilled men of the highest qualifications in the interests of the efficiency ■of the department, and the safety and convenience of the public; the advisability of maintaining a proper relationship between the tradesmen in the railway service and other categories on the basis of the value of the work performed, the training required and the skill necessary for the various types of work. . There was, further, the question of compensation for the use of privately-owned tools on departnfental work, the cost of providing and maintaining the average tool kit having increased considerably. This was the first opportunity the association had had of having an impartial tribunal with mandatory powers to assess the proper value of the railway tradesmen’s work, Mr Gebbie added. The State, for the maintenance of its own dignity and prestige, and to encourage the maintenance of a reasonable standard of living, should have a greater sense of responsibility to its employees than could be expected from private employers. Mr K. G. Reid, advocate for the department, said an increase in wages to the extent claimed was opposed because it would make the rate too high compared with the Arbitration Court’s standard rate of 2s fid for tradesmen on a 40-hour week, and compared with the rates in industrial awards and the rates in the Essential Building Labour Legislation Modification Order for a 48-hour week. There were grounds on which some Increase might be conceded. In determining the rate for railway tradesmen regard must be had to the wages in relevant, awards. The department opposed also the claim for an increase of 6d an hour for apprentices,, who had always been paid more than apprentices working under awards.' The approximate cost of granting the claim of the tradesmen and apprentices would be £261,400 a year. The tribunal adjourned till Wednesday morning to give the department time to prepare further answers to the association’s submissions.