ENGINE-DRIVERS' CONFERENCE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3231, 16 February 1916, Page 29

ENGINE-DRIVERS' CONFERENCE.

The conference of the New Zealand Locomotive Eng.ne-drivers', Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association was continued at Christchurch on the 10th inst. It was decided tnat the wages of drivers, firemen, and cleaners be increased as follows : Drivers: Minimum 12s per day, reaching a maximum of 16s per day by automatic increases of Is per day tor first two years and 6d per day for the next four; maximum to be reached in six yeais. Firemen: Minimum 9s 6d per day, maximum lis; automatic increase Is per day first year, and 6d per day after second year; maximum to be reached in two vears. Cleaners: Minimum 7s per day, maximum 9s per day; increases, one of 2s and two of 6d per day. Overtime rates to be paiid for time worked by drivers and fiivmen between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. at rate of time and a-quarter, time worked on Sundays, Good Friday, and Chiistnjas Day double rates. That drivers, firemen, and cleaners be paid for all time between booking on duty and booking off. Excopt in a case of emergency, nine hours to be the maximum drivers and firemen shall work on a shunting engine. Fourteen hours to be completed as the limit of a day's work, and 'all time over 14 hours to be calculated at the rate of time and a-quarter. Any locomotive nn>n leaving the service to be allowed to continue paying into the Superannuation Fund until he reaches _6O years of age or completes 40 years' service. Locomotive men to be given first opportunity for driving electric and petrol locomot.ves on the New Zealand railways. The department to full pay to any member who meets with an accident in the execution of his duty. Locomotive men to be granted long service holidays—namely, after 20 years' service, three months on full pay; after 25 years' service, six months on full pay. First passes to be granted after five years' service. Members on reaching the r ige of 50 and on the completition of 40 years' eervico to be compelled to retire from the railway service. Railwaymen's children under 14 vears of age to be allowed to travel on privilege ticket orders. The hardsh'p inflicted "on locomotive men by excessive rents at certain places to be overcome by the department making an allowance. Th° department to select 6ix or more medica. men in each large centre 'to whom members of the staff may have to go to oe medically examined, such members to nave the privilege of choice. A widowed mother being supported by a bachelor son in the locomotive service be given the same privilege as a wife, irrespective of whether she is the householder or not, provided she is keeping house for her bachelor son. Depot charge men to be better paid. Strong references were made to the dis abilities under which cleaners labour who are stationed at out of the way places where they have to pay in board almost as much as they earn, and it was contended that they should be placed on the same footing as railway and telegraph cadets. It was decided: " That some effort be made to station cleaners where their homes are, otherwise an allowance of 10s per week be given them when away from home." It was moved and carried: "That this meeting of the Grand Council of the New Zealand Locomotive Engine-drivers', Firemen, and Cleaners' Association consider that before taking further steps to induce by arbitrary methods to force men to enlist for active service, that the Government show by legislation that they are sincere in their efforts of dealing with the national crisis by introducing an increased graduated land and income tax whereby any profits derived as a result of the war revert directly to the State." The afternoon sitting was devoted to -.he discussion of a number of questions of detail to be submitted to the Minister and to the general manager. It was decided —" Th-it members resigning or resigned to enlist be reinstated in their proper position in the D 3 and in all respects be treated the same as those who obtained leave.

The conference of the New Zealand Locomotive Engine-drivers', Firemen, ai d Cleaners' Association was continued at Christcrmrch on Friday. Decisions arrived at included the following : That the Grand Council use every endeavour to reach an understanding other railway societies with a view to organising for polit'cal purposes and general service conditions. That liprniln coal be abolished on engines on the Dunedin section That a war bonus of Is per day be granted on account of the increased cost of living. It was decided to protest against the system of punishment by fines. It is, it was stated, the practice of the department to fine men anything up to £25 for offences. For instance, a man who mav be booked to come on duty at 5 a.m., does not wake in time, and is late. The result is that, although he is only a few minutes late, he may be fined his day's pay. This is considered very unjust, especially in view of the present high cost of living. On the other hand, an enginedriver who may save a big collision, there-bv saving lives and thousands of pounds' worth of property, is perhaps commended, which, in the face of punishments for offences, seems a very meagre reward, and is only ornial to a reprimand for a very trivial offence. It was decided to make strong representations to the department; regarding tho stopping of cleaners' pay for unsatisfactory work,

the practice being that the cleaner who usually gets 5s 6d for a night's work, and is. in the majority of cases, stationed away from home, having to pay his oivn hoard, having a portion of his time deducted if, in the opinion of the night foreman, his work is not satisfactory. This is not considered fair or just, and savours of the sweating system. It is not done in any other section of the Public Service, and the Grand Council considers that it should be at once abolished. It was decided to make an effort to got men paid extra money as meal allowance when they are on duty for 10 hours or more, it being contended that food carried in the heated atmosphere of engine cabs is reaily uneatable. This allowance is granted to members of the first division. New Zealand Railways, and also to locomotive members in Australia, and it is only fair that it should be allowed to locomotive men in New Zealand, who have to work shifts at times of anything up to 18 hours. It was decided to urge that men who are stationed in isolated places—viz., New Zealand Main Trunk, be given an opportunity to transfer at the end of a given term if they so desire. The department finds it difficult to fill these positions, owing to the isolated position and the strenuous nature of the work, and men who are put there find it very difficult to get away, and consequently lifo is of the humdrum order.

The conference of the New Zealand Locomotive Engine-drivers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association was continued at Ciiristcuur.h on Saturday. Regarding a telegram received the previous day lrom the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants asking if the association was willing to d.scuss the question of ono big union, it was deeded to reply that tho Gr.«nd Council of the association was willing to discuss the question of federation at a round-the-table conference with two or three representatives of each railway society. The A.S.R.S. was asked to arrange a date for tne proposed conference. It was moved—" Tiiat this Grand Council is in favour of coming under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, and decides to take a vote of all members; and when Mr M'Combs brings down his amendment to the Act to prevent the formation of bogus unions, it decides to petition Parham.nt for the right of registration " Ihere was a lengthy discussion, several delegates expressing the opinion that the present metnod of representing grievances was very unsatisfactory. Complaints were put before the department, which sometimes replied in three months' time, and usually refused"the requests mide. —The motion was unanimously agreed to. It was decided to endeavour to obtain passes for New Zealand railwaymen when travelling in New South Walesj that the Superannuation Fund be used for loaning money to members of the railway service at current rates; and that the department "be asked to select men for night foremen of cleaners, and to pay them a special wage commensurate with the responsibility of the position.

SMOKE CONCERT. On Saturday night the delegates to the conference were entertained at a smoke concert. Mr E. W. Henderson (the pr-.sident) was in the chair, and amongst those present were the Hon. G. W. Russell (Minister of Internal Affairs), Mr George W;tty, M.P., Dr Thacker, M.P., and the Mayor of Cnristchurch (Mr H. Holland). Mr J. Ahern, in proposing "The Parliament of New Zealand," said it would have been noted that the conference had passed a resolution asking for an increase in wages immediately, if possible. At the beginning of the war they determined to remain loyal and still were loyal, but the increased cost of living necessitated that their earnings should be augmented. After great deliberation the only way they could see out of the difficulty was to make a demand jn the Government for a war bonus of Is a day. Another resolution arrived at regarding increased wages was simply a reaffirmation of a resolution of the previous conference. He hoped the Government would lend a sympathetic ear to their request. The users of the railways were making additional profits, and they considered that the Government, by increased rates, should obtain some portion of these, and pass some of it on to them The Hon. G. W. Russell, in responding, referred to the part he took in assisting to get parliamentary recognition of the Engine-drivers', Firemen's, and Cleaners' Association, and expressed h:s gratification that the association had taken _ its place amongst the unions that were listened to and whose advice was regarded. He felt sure that the representations to be made as the outcome of the conference would be very carefully listened to by the Cabinet. He was not in a position to commit the Minister of Railways in regard to their proposals, neither could he promise them that he would support those proposals when placed before the Government. A Voice: Why not? Mr Russell: "Simply because, if T did so, I should be forced right out of the Cabinet at the first meeting held." Continuing, he said that he did not go back one iota from the principles he had always held, that the workers of the dominion, whether in private or State employ, were entitled to something more than a living wage. _ Since the war began the prices of commodit'es in common use had enormously increased, and he considered that they were just : fied in asking for some recognition from the Government from that point of view. Referring to New Zealand's part in the war, he sanl that ho recognised to the fullest extent the splendid work done by the railwaymcn of New Zealand, not only by the men from the service who had gone to the front, but also by the loyal devotion, long hours of servce, and heroism displayed by those in the dominion, especially the locomotive drivers —men who had handled large bodies of soldiers without a hitch and without an accident. Mr W'tty said he knew that railwaymen had grievances, but if any grievances were brought up that were not fair he would turn them down like a shot. Railwaymen, however, were not in the habit of br'nging up grievances which were unfair. The members of the Railways Committee would try to do justice to the railwaymen. They were entitled to all that they could jpt, and no one knew better than he that, in view of the increased eost of living, they were not getting what they should get. Referring to the Bill passed, as a matter of urgency, setting up a body to deal with the cost of living, he pointed out that the body had not yet been set up, and no one could blame the railwaymen or the public for makinor complaints. Whit the railwaymen had to do whs to sep that they got a fair share of what was going, and they had to see that the other fellow did not got

more than his share—ns many were get- . ting. Dr Thacker, in responding, said that if | railwaymen were not being paid the wage j they ought to bo paid, he would pledge his | honour that lie would see that they got it, | He objected to the system of highlv-paid ! officials, and had "no time " for £3OCO-men from the O'.d Country wh.n they had men in the dominion who could do the work equally well. While the cost of living had increased the wages of railwaymen had stood still, and consequently they could not do justice to their families. Unless wages were increased they must run into debt, and that was a wrong thing to do if it could be avoided. I The Mayor, on behalf of the locomotive engine-drivers, firemen, and cleaners of the dominion, presented Mr S. Kennedy (expresident of the association! with a gold watch, and a gold bangle for Mrs Kennedy, In the course of some remarks, Mr Holland referred to the fact that engine-drivers did not earn as much as wharf labourers, though they discharged much more responsible duties. The demand for an extra shilling a day was just, in view of the strenuous character of the engine-dri-er's w r ork. Mr Kennedy, in acknowledging the gift, said that, when president, he had done his utmost for the members of the association, but in view of the fact that the whan labourer received Is 8d oer hour for work done under tho best conditions—during daylight,—and the best pay received by enginedrivers was Is Bjd per hour, he feared that his efforts and efforts of those wrio had worked with hirn had failed.