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PERSONNEL Comparative Return of Persons Employed in the Department 31st March, 31st March, Permanent staff— 1949 ' 1950 * Administrative .. . • • • - • 15 First Division .. • • • • 5,432 5,553 Second Division • ■ • • • • • • 6,298 6,944 11,745 12,512 Temporary and casual staff .. . • ■ • 4,532 4,815 16,277 17,327 Non-classified staff— Postmistresses and assistants .. .. .. 226 257 Non-permanent staff— Country postmasters and telephonists .. .. 1,187 1,140 Railway officers .. .. •. • • 72 69 17,762 18,793 POST AND TELEGRAPH STAFF TRIBUNAL Salaries and Wages A sitting of the Post and Telegraph Staff Tribunal was held in July, 1949, under the chairmanship of Judge W. F. Stilwell, to consider further wage and salary claims lodged by the Service organization on behalf of Post Office employees. The Tribunal did not grant the claims in full but approved the following general increases with effect from the Ist June, 1949 : (a) £l3 per annum to those in receipt of a salary of £412 per annum and over. (b) £8 per annum to those whose salaries exceeded £297 per annum but did not exceed £4ll per annum. (c) £5 per annum to those whose salaries did not exceed £297 per annum. (<Z) lfd., Id., or |d. an hour ; 55., 3s. 4d., or Is. Bd. a week (as the case might be) to employees paid at hourly or weekly rates which, when computed on an annual basis, fell within the salary ranges set out in the preceding subparagraphs (a), (6), and (c). (e) Id. an hour to temporary female office-cleaners based pro rata on the number of hours worked of the full working-week of forty hours. As a result of these decisions the salary of the basic clerk was raised to £460 per annum, that of the tradesman to £425 per annum, and that of the semi-skilled group such as postmen, exchange operators, &c., to £390 per annum. The maximum salary rate for rank and file shorthand-writers and machinists was raised to £355 per annum for those with the Junior Examination and £3BO per annum for those with the Senior Examination. The maximum salary rate for other rank and file female employees was raised to £330 per annum. APPEAL BOARD Two sittings of the Appeal Board were held during the year, one in May-June and the other in October-December. At the two sittings 1,061 appeals lodged by 247 appellants were adjudicated upon, and the following decisions made : allowed, 15 ; conceded equal grading, 2 ; withdrawn, 336 ; did not lie, 23 ; disallowed, 685. In 14 of the disallowed appeals the Board made recommendations concerning the grading of the appellants.

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