RAILWAY WAGES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16336, 27 January 1921, Page 7

RAILWAY WAGES.

CLAIM FOR A BONUS. (Special to the 11 Star.”) WELLINGTON, January 27. The railway strike of last your was settled on the basis of a full inquiry into working conditions, and. tho .claim for increased wages by a board representative of the employers and employees, with a chairman mutually agreed upon. In that case, the principal body of railwaymen accepted as the president Air Bullock, a well-known shipping manager, who died before Parliament made the agreement in regard to wages a statutory matter. The cost of living has continued to increase, and the amended Classification Act was scarcely passed before the men claimed another bonus to compensate for the reduced purchasing power of the sovereign. To meet this claim the parties agreed to tho same procedure as in the strike negotiations, and the board now sitting in Wellington is similarly constituted, though Air George Elliott, of Auckland, is now the chairman. Its proceedings are in camera, by mutual agreement, ns tho whole question is one of wages, and this can be better argued cut frankly in private, when the Railway Department can deal more fully with its financial position. When it last adjusted wages, the cost of living increase was assessed at 62 per cent over pre-war prices- To-day it is admittedly at least 10 per cent higher, and if the board makes an award fully covering the further increase, another £IOO,OOO will be required from the railways to make up the revenue. Tt is anticipated that the last quarter of the financial year will show the real effect of the revision, of fares and freights, as the most important changes were made in respect of the Dominion’s primary products, which are mostly handled during that period'. Thus it may turn out that the railwaymen will be. able to get a temporary increase as a cost of living bonps without recourse to another turn of the tariff screw.