PUBLIC SERVICE SAYS COURT HAS UPHELD ITS CLAIMS OVER WAGES

Wanganui Chronicle, 16 April 1949, Page 6

PUBLIC SERVICE SAYS COURT HAS UPHELD ITS CLAIMS OVER WAGES

WELLINGTON, Thursday (PA).— “The findings of the Arbitration Court establish the claims which my association has been making for the past two years,” said Mr. J. Turnbull, general secretary of the Public Service Association, in a statement today. “The Court has found that the workers’ share of the national income had reduced over the last 10 years, and that wages actually paid in industry have increased by a greater margin than most of the rates prescribed in awards. As Public Service rates are based on awards, this means that public servants are worse off even than other workers. This was also acknowledged by the margins and anomalies committee. The Court also draws attention to evidence that the earnings of salaried workers have not kept pace with the earnings of wage workers. A great deal of evidence was placed before the margins and anomalies committee, in an endeavour to have margins for skill and responsibility in the Public Service restored to some reasonable relationship to what they used to be, and what they ought to be.” Mr. Turnbull said that submissions had also been made before the Railways and Post and Telegraph Tribunals, but the highly skilled employees of the Government remained, he said, the worst paid workers in the country. “It is true that a section of the Government Printing Office employees alone, out of the whole of Public Service, received an increase, but they will now expect to have the benefit of the Arbitration Court’s award applied to them to retain their position. “The Court’s pronouncements are being studied carefully by my executive, as they must have a very considerable bearing on Public Service wage rates. Meanwhile, increases granted other sections of the State services have not been given to the Public Service under commission control, although there is ample authority for doing this. “The Government has said that these increases can only be obtained through the Government service tribunal. While we, for our part, have the responsibility of ensuring that the long-term interests of public servants are not bargained away for a small and illusory gain, there is no reason why mutually satisfactory arrangements cannot be made, and it is expected that representatives of the association will have discussions shortly with the acting Prime Minister,” concluded Mr. Turnbull.