WAGES AND SALARIES

Wairarapa Daily Times, 18 March 1932, Page 6

WAGES AND SALARIES

PUBLIC SERVANTS’ PROTEST.

AGAINST FURTHER CUTS,

At a largely attended and representative meeting of public servants, held in Masterton last night, a resolution protesting against any further cuts in salaries and wages, were carried unanimously. Representatives and members of seven different organisations attended. Mr L. P. Bennett presided. The following organisations were represented: —New Zealand Public Service Association, New Zealand Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association, New Zealand Post and Telegraph Officers’ Guild; New Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association, Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, New Zealand Educational institute and the Secondary Schools’ Association.

The resolution passed was as follows: —“That this combined meeting of public servants, while appreciating the difficulties of the Government, emphatically protests against any further reduction in salaries and wages in that there has been no appreciable drop in tlie cost of living since the last cut; therefore, to impose a further reduction in salaries and wages without reducing the bank interest and rates of interest would constitute a harsh and unjust action on the part of the Government. We maintain that any further cut in salaries and wages would serve to aggravate the present- economic position, inasmuch as an imposition of this nature would further embarrass the business community, who have already suffered from the last cut, due to tho withdrawal of money from circulation. Every branch of the community should help to shoulder the burden of sacrifice at the present- time, but to attack one branch of the community tends to develop a class war.” Copies of the resolution arc to be sent to the Prime Minister (the Et. Hon. CL W. Forbes), the Minister-in-Charge of Unemployment (the Et. Hon. J. CL Coates), the Leader of the Opposition (Mr 11. E. Holland), the Hon. E. A. Ransom, the Hon. A. j.). McLeod, M.P., and Mr CL B. Sykes, M.P. Another resolution, also passed unanimously, was:—“That this meeting deplores the suggestion that women teachers be singled out for an extra icdu tion in salaries, in view of the obvious danger of their taking positions from men teachers.” A combined services committee w;-.s set up with a view to keeping in touch in the present crisis.