RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

Otago Witness, Issue 3443, 9 March 1920, Page 40

RAILWAYMEN'S WAGES

MR JUSTICE STRINGER'S REPORT. EMPLOYEES PROTESTING. GRAVE DISSATISFACTION AROUSED. EXTREME MEASURES THREATENED. AUCKLAND, March'?!'. Judge Stringer's report has caused niuch dissatisfaction among railwaymen of both divisions. They wih discuss it at meetings shortly, when it is understood a proposal will be submitted that a dominion stooworfc meeting for a short period be held to demonstrate dissatisfaction with service con- . ditions. CHRISTCHURCH PROTEST. CHRISTCHURCH, Much. 6. A stop-work meeting of about 500 employees of the railway workshops at Addington resolved —(1) That on account of the cost of living having increased since the Railway Wages Board sat, we advise our executive to demand at least 5s per day inand pledge themselves to support them in obtaining the demand; also that the executive be urged to meet at once and decide upon an immediate line of action; (2) that this meeting, after reading in the newspapers the Hon. J. G. Coates's partial denial of the wanton destruction of military garments., still enter an emphatic protest; and we further respectfully request him to fulfil his contract to.us, as he had payments for articles six weeks in advance. We further ask employees to refuse to accept the return of their money until a final reply has been received from the Hon. Mr Coates. ASHBURTON AGGRESSIVE. ASHBURTON, March 6. At a stop-work meeting of all local railway servants to-day it was unanimously decided to support the executive in any action taken, whether "go-slow" or a strike, regarding the latest wage offer, which was condemned as inadequate and especially unjust to single men. A further mass meeting will be held on Monday night. PDXLSIDE DECISION. At a stop-work meeting held on Saturday forenoon the following resolution was passed unanimously:— That this stop-work meeting of the Hillside Workshops employees, having read the report of Mr Justice Stringer and the recommendations contained therein, decide to absolutely refuse to accept same, as we consider the increases recommended • totally inadequate to meet the continually increasing cost of living. We cannot agree that railway workers should be content to work for less than the ruling wages of outside employment, nor are w© prepared to do so. We urge our executive council to consider the -position immediately, and pledge ourselves to support them in any extreme measures they may deem necessary to obtain justice.