Bank Employees Seek An Award

Chronicle (Levin), 7 September 1948, Page 3

Bank Employees Seek An Award

Press , Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, Sept. 6. Stressing tlie disadvantag'es of a banking employee under today's eonditions ttie recently formed New Zealand Bank Officials Industrial (Jnion today applied to tke Coneiliation Commissioner, Mr. . S. Bitchie, for an industrial agreeinent under the I.O. and A. Aet, covering salaries and conditions. After reading lengthy submissions by the employees' advocate (Mr. C. A. K. Brunt, secretary of the Bank Offieers' Guild) and a reply and counter-propos-als by the New Zealand Trading Banks' representative (Mr. W. J. Mountjoy/,. delegates proceeded to diseuss the proposals in detail. The submissions contended that New Zealand bank offieers were worse off thau any of their confreres overseas both as regards rates of remuneration and conditions of service generally. The main proposals by the ehiployees are a £650 salary scale, over a period of 21 years and a £360 scale for females to be reached in the 12th year of service, special salaries for managers and accountants, allowances to senior offieers after the coinpletion of a certain number of years beyond the salary scale, the retention of existing margins, retrospective payment to April 1 this year, increased overtime payment and the establishment of a Proinotion and Disciplinary Appeal Board. The employers 1 counter-proposals provided for £515 in the 13th year for males and £300 for females in the 8th year, and various amendments and new conditions felating to service and overtime. It is contended by the union that the banks eould easirly pay increased rates and it is suggested the trading banks might charge customers for certain banking services as was done in Engiand and other countries. The serious disadvantage of employment in banks, said Mr. Brunt, was its specialised service whieh meant that there was not competition for the services of senior offieers and this iargely expiained the reason for the relativeiy low salaries of executive, banking offieers. The question of t'iie„ compulsory transfer was another disadvantage, he said, while the conditions a junior was asked to sign on commeneing work, were "literully unbelievable. " Dealing with the salaries of members, Mr. Brunt said many managers wrere "grossly underpaid" and were reeeiving a less net salary than many years ago. Mr. Mountjoy, in reply, said the trading i anks over the last 20 years, had oifered conditions that had been sought after by the workers. The loss of staff by resignation had been very smail while tlie Bank of New Zealand had in the last two years increased its staff by 200. Over the last 8 years bank offieers liad had their salaries increaSed by 31 per cent. Salaries were based similarly to those of the Publie Service. "The stafl's of trading banks in New Zealand total 4500 and of the.se only 21.38 voted on the question whether or not claims for an award should be liled. Of that number only 1295 voted for the matter to be roferred to the (Jonciliation Council and 893 voted against action being taken," said M r. Mountjoy. J "The total of tliose bank offieers vrno voted for tlie.se proceedings, represents less than one-third of those einj)Ioyed by the six trading banks. These are facts that eannot be overlooked when asking wliy bank offieers are seeking an award of the Court of Arbitration. The auswer is that the law permits a minority in an jndustry to form a workers' union and thus control tlie position irrespective of the wishes of the majority, " said Mr, Mountjoy. After some (liscussion the wage scale for female workers rising to £360 yearlv in the 12th vear of service, was iigreed upon between the parties with tlie added provixo by tlie employees tliat the banks be asked to consider the iuclusion of female workers in the clause providing five-year and tenyear increments after attaining the 12th year rate. A comproniise as to the number of vears of service after whieh the top wage for male workers would be attained was reached when the employers offered and the employees accepted a 19-vear term, the employees asking for the wage at that stage of service to be £620 yearly. Proceedings were then adjourned for

th'e re»spective parties to confer separately. The joint sitting will be resumed tomorrow.