RESTORING WAGES

Southland Times, Issue 22949, 23 July 1936, Page 16

RESTORING WAGES

THE CIVIL SERVICE.

OBJECTION TO THE DATE.

Disappointment that the restoration of salary cuts to public servants is not to date from April 1 last is expressed in two of the journals o£ public servants’ organizations. In the Katipo, the official organ of the New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association, under the heading “What May We Expect?” it is stated that the announcement that the date of operation is to be from July 1, “has caused general surprise, considerable disappointment, and some evidence of resentment among State servants.” In the Public Service Journal, the organ of the Public Sevice Association of New Zealand, disappointment is also expressed. In the latter journal, however, it is stated that the disappointment is tempered by the fact that the restoration to the public servants is coincident with that for outside employees who are subject to awards, and with the rehabilitation of pensions. The article in the Katipo adds that Post and Telegraph employees are far from satisfied with the announcement, and that the association’s files are each day accumulating evidence of the feelings and opinions among its 8000 members. It says that only the date of operation of the restoration is being questioned. Many employees had made commitments on the reasonableness of their expectation of a restoration from. April 1. “It is worth noting,” continues the Katipo, “that provisions for restoring cuts have been the only variations away from April 1 for general adjustment of salaries. Even the imposing of cuts has been antedated to conform with that date, as though operation from the actual later date of the relevant legislation would throw the whole system out of gear. So apparently when it comes to State employees securing some advantage—no, redress is the correct term —by antedating the operation of a measure, that is the only time when interference with system doesn’t count. Neither does it seem to matter that an anomaly is created as between the employees of the State and the employees of local bodies or private firms, which is epitomized by the State employees’ forlorn wail: We were the first to have cuts imposed on us and we’re the last to receive restoration.”

In this instance, it is stated, the Prime Minister’s announcement that he will legislate for restoration as from July 1 will make the date three months past the fifth and fourth anniversaries of the two successive State service cuts, and such restoration will approximately coincide with the anniversary of local body cuts that were imposed later.