EXTRA NIGHT PAY FOR RAILWAYMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 3 December 1946, Page 7

EXTRA NIGHT PAY FOR RAILWAYMEN

—Press Associaiion

CLAIM BEFORE TRIBUNAL

By Telearaph-

WELLINGTON, Dec. & Tlie hearing of claims by Eailways Department employees that all time worked between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. sliouid be paid for at night rates or the appropriate rate of pay then obtaining and that three week's annual leave should be granted them was begun today by the Government Eailways Industrial - Tribunal. The Tribunal coinprises Mr. W. P. Stillwell, S.M., (chairman), Mr. E. Casey, former general manager of railways, and Mr. E. A. Whitlow. More than 100 elauses will be submitted jointiy and separately by the fonr applicant service organisations, the Ainalgamated Society of Eailway Servants, the Engine D rivers, Firemen 's and Oleaners ' Assoeiation, the Eaiiway Otticers ' Institute and the Eailway Tradesmen's Assoeiation. The hearing of the claims, which aft'ect about 26,680 employees, is expeeted to take about six weeks. The tribunal will not sit betWeen December 19 and January 8. The first claim on behalf of the four organisations wTas submitted by oue of its two advocates, Mr. H. li. Bishop, secretary of the A.S.E.S. The Department ;s assessor is Mr. A. P. Tayior and its advocates are Messrs N. L. Stevenson and F. B, Carlisle. ■ Mr. Bishop said that the applicants were of opiniou that uniforinity of conditions among all railwaymen . was necessary and that it was justilied by the claim that many employees in all departments were called, on to undertake night shift duties beeause the transport department must function contiuuously for 24 hours a day, The disadvantages, liurdships and inconvenieuces of night shift duties were so well known in the railway service as to be almost a commoplace. A member in a late shift or. night shift was deuied the pleasure and company of liis family in the evenings. He was eitlier absent on duty or in bed hoping to obtain a few hours of more or less refreshing sleep bef'ore going on duty wliile normal life and noise went on ali round liiiu. In ell'ect, the applicants were asking for an extensiou to all rail- | ways employees between the hours of ' (3 p.m. and 6 a.m. of the same condij tions that already applied to most of the traftic employees between the liours j of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., of oue and a quarter times tlieir ordiuary rate of pay j for ordiuary time worked between the hours of 0 p.m. and (3 a.m. and for all pena 1 rate time worked between those hours. Employees should be paid their respective penal rates on the -rate for ordiuary night work. For ihe Department Mr. Stevenson said the claim as it was expressed em- | bi'HCed all classes of employees ineluding those whose conditious were detremined by reference to industrial awards or agreements and those who worked uiuler raiiwnv conditious but did not receive additioual payment for work pert'ormed during night hours. Four separate claims for the • dy{)licatiotf' 'dr night rates to partieular classes of employees liad also been lodged by the A.S.E.S. Kespondent submitted that any cousideration given to tlie extensiou of the seope of night rate paynients should be confLiied to partieular classes of employees on whose behalf sppcific claims had been made. The discussion ou the seeond claim about amiual leave was postponed untij the Tribunal meets tomorrow.