POWER SUPPLY EMPLOYEES

Southland Times, Issue 23140, 5 March 1937, Page 4

POWER SUPPLY EMPLOYEES

To The Editor

Sir, —The slogan of the present Government seems to be: “Do not do as I do, but as I say.” The above was brought to my mind after conversation with a member of the staff of the Southland Electric Power Supply. The Government gave out the order to restore wages to the 1931 level. The staff of the then Power Board “altered,” not to the 1931 level but lower. The Amalgamated Engineering Union took the matter up with the Labour Department to have proper restoration made, but in the meantime the poll of ratepayers was taken and the Government took over the power scheme. Then the union secretary was informed that the claim could not be gone on with. Just so. But what of the employees? Are they getting what is their due? No, they are not. Their wages are still £1 9/- short a fortnight of 1931 level. I would just like to say a few words in passing on the services rendered by the outside staff to the consumers of electric power in Southland generally. They are deserving of the highest praise for the manner in which they attend to failure of supply or appliance. No matter what the weather—fine or perhaps blowing a gale, with snow, rain or hail—they promptly turn out, night or day. How would you or I like to turn out of bed in the middle of the night, when wind fairly rocks the house and rain squalls lash the windows, and go out to patrol perhaps miles of line; and when the fault or break is found, climb the pole and repair the line before returning home, so that the dairy farmers may have the use of their machines to milk, and the women-folk their electric ranges to cook breakfast? No, we would think twice before venturing out on a rough night without having to work 20 to 30ft above the ground. These men deserve all they get and some more, too.

Workers are compelled to join a union, and then if the Public Works Department comes along their union is of no use to them, after all they have paid into it. There must be something very much wrong in the State if this thing is allowed to continue. —Yours, etc., INTERESTED. March 3, 1937.