RAILWAYMEN’S COMPLAINTS

Otago Witness, Issue 3489, 25 January 1921, Page 44

RAILWAYMEN’S COMPLAINTS

REQUEST FOR BETTER COAL. STATEMENT BY LOCOMOTIVE MEN. WELLINGTON, January 19. Mr M'Villy has informed the railway men that, in the absence of Mr Felton, Chief Mechanical Engineer, their demands in regard to inferior coal could not bo dealt with at the moment. When., however, Mr Felton returned at the end of the week the matter would receive attention. The objections of the men are grounded on an allegation that tlie coal will not burn, and no pressure of steam can be got when an engine has gone six or eight miles, which meant cleaning out the firebox and the use of forced draught, causing more work for the cleaners. The coal objected to is Australian, and is alleged to contain a large quantity of sand. In reference to the strike threat, the Wellington branch of the E.F.C.A. states that negotiations have been proceeding for some time. Mr MVilly (General Manager of Railways) was warned last Wednesday that the position was serious, and the motion carried on Sunday was in the absence of any communication from the department. At the deputation yesterday Mr M’Villy sympathised with the men in the quality of the coal they were called upon to handle. He complained that tho time allowed for a reply to the demands was too short, but promised to give an answer at midday on Saturday. The men state that they sympathise with the department in its difficulties, and have no desire to make capital out of the present position. They want to be as loyal to the public and the department as they were during the Christmas holidays, when they ran big trains to time despite inferior coal. AN OFFICIAL EXPLANATION. WELLINGTON, January 20. The official side of the railway dispute in regard to coal is that the men are to be paid full wages for all the time they are employed. The department would much prefer to use good coal, but must use what is available. The alternative would be to reduce the number of trains and throw many men out of employment altogether. Inferior coal often means late trains, and the burden of that falls on the department. It is contended further that the firemen presented their strike notices without giving the manager and officers adequate time to consider their'claims and grievances. INVERCARGILL BRANCH’S COMPLAINT. INVERCARGILL, January 20. The local branch of the Railway Officers’ Institute carried the following resolution unanimously:—"That as the conciliation agreement was concluded between the Government and the institute, the executive be requested to approach the Government and point out the failure of the department in many important respects to bring the finding of the Conciliation Committee into operation, although seven months have elapsed since the ratification took place. It is the unanimous opinion of this meeting that no redress is likely to lie obtained from the department, and that the agreement is useless unless interpreted according to ’ho wording and spirit of the agreement; also that the executive should point out to Mr Massey that other bodies, when unable to obtain redress of their grievances, adopt desperate measures which generally have the desired effect, whilst the institute, by adopting constitutional methods, is generally left in the lurch, which is no encouragement to a constitutional body.”