THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Otago Witness, Issue 3396, 16 April 1919, Page 26

THE RAILWAY SERVICE

DEPARTMENT'S NEW PROPOSALS. ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS. The main items of the Railway Department's proposals for new conditions in service, including the eight-hour day and making the war bonuses permanent, have already been published. Further particulars are as follow:—i C'rossingHeepers and bridgekeepers: Maximum pay, Ills per day. Men at present employed will continue to receive present rate oi pay until tfte cost of living is reduced, alter wliicii £hey will be paid 10s per clay. New axjpouitees will be paid 10s per day only.

Junior porters: Age at entry, 17 to 21 years. Pay, 6s 6d, 7s, Bs, 9s, and 10s per day; 22 years and over, 12s per day. J\[ightwatchrnen: £3 per week. Disabled men at present- employed as nightwatchmen will continue to receive present rate of pay until cost of living is reduced, alter which they will be paid the new schedule rate.

Leading fitters (grade 1): 17s per day. . Junior tradesmen: 10s per day. This ifi considered to be a liberal rate of pay for junior tradesmen, who are merely completing their indentures by making up time lost during their apprenticeship. Depot changemen: 18s per day. Engine-drivers engaged solely on shunting will be paid 14s 6d per day first year, and 15s per day thereafter. They will not bo eligible for promotion to the first grade. First-class engine-drivers and second-class engine-drivers at present employed on shunting engines will be given the option of taking up work on the main line. Second-, class men who decline to take up main line work and elect to remain shunting will forfeit the right to future promotion. First grade men on shunting engines now in receipt of first grade pay will likewise be given the option of taking up main line work. Ii they elect to remain shunting, or prove unsuitable for main line work, they will be reduced to shunting engine work and pay, and the vacancies created- in the first grade will be filled by the promotion of efficient men from the second-grade. Where an enginedriver is placed on shunting engine owing to thei department having no other work available, his status and pay will not be detrimentally affected, provided he takes up main Jine work again immediately he is instructed so to do. Train , Examiners. —Grade 1,13 s 6d-14s per day;.Grade 2} 13s pe'r day.

Rivet boys -will be engaged from 16 to 17' years of ago, and be paid 6s to 6s 6d per day. ' Junior surfacemen 'will be engaged from 17 to 21 years of age: Pay, 6s 6d, 7s, Bs, 9b, and 10s per day. • Eight hour day: Eight 'hours ,will constitute a day's work, except in respect of workshops "and way and works mein, who will have a 44-hour week. Time worked after eight hours ; wiil be paid at rate and a-quarter. Each day will stand by itself fo" computing- overtime. Where trainmen, • i.e., guards, engine-drivers,-and firemen, are absent from their home station, all time standing, that is, time not booked off for. rest; at such stations, will be paid for at ordinary schedule rate, but such standing time will not be taken into consideration in computing overtime. Where trainmen aro called on as' required to perform work while standing away from home station, they must be prepared to do so, and in such case any portion of the time worked would be counted for the purpose of computing overtime. . Men at tablet stations, where work is continuous, 48 hours per week. Where work is not continuous, 60 hours per week. Relief to be arranged accordingly. Permanent way men called out on slips and breakdowns after or before the usual working hours will be paid at rate and a half. The department cannot agree to additional pay for ordinary working hours. Preference to Unionists: The department cannot be a party to coercing any member to join any of the railway societies. Division Barrier j 1 and 2: No alteration of present practice can be agreed to.. Any member who can comply with the regulations can obtain promotion to the First Division. Minister's Veto: Abolition cannot be agreed to. Holiday Leave: No extension can be granted. The hours of work have been shortened and the pay increased, and the - department cannot give further concessions in the wav of leave. Meal Allowance: An allowance of Is will be granted to men who are absent from their headquarters for 11 hours or over. ' Porters Adting in. Higher Capacities: Men acting in higher capacities are paid the minimum rate for the grade while so acting. The department states that no alteration can be made in the present practice in regard to intermittent time, lodging allowance, nut allowances, and privileges of hour to hour casuals.