CLAIMS OF RAILWAYMEN

Chronicle (Levin), 28 January 1949, Page 4

CLAIMS OF RAILWAYMEN

Press Association)

Departmental Costs Woidd Go Up By £735,000

(Per

WELLINGTON, Jan. 27. There were far-reacliing implications in the railwaymen's claims -for wage inercases, the advoeate for the Eailways ^ Department (Mr. J. T. Collins) fetafed during Ms snbmissions before the Raihvays Industrial Tribunal -yesterday aftei'noon. -• - Any deeision by the Tribunal would doubtless have repereussions on wages throughont. the Pnbiic Seryice, he con.tinued, and 19,000 railway empioyees weresaifeeted directly. If the claim succeeded, Mr. Collins said, £735,000 would be added to the operating costs of the railways. In the view of the Department, it would be unsound to' worsen the unsatisfactory financial position. Additional financial reciuirements must logically cgme ffom the conimunity.* - Mr. ColJins submitted that the clainiB did not indieate a desire to adjust margins and alleged anomalies withiu tke service. If the ' present claims were granted, the eifeet would be ro reduee the percentage margin by which -tradesinen's rates exceeded those of labourers, and intervening rates would be alTeeted. He submitted that this would only aceeutuate the discontent expressed last year, when the Public Service .asked for an adjustme.nt of margins and anomalies. Rates Maintained , 1 ■ Since fhe Economic Stabilisation Fmergency Regulations became operative, he submitted, the rates for railway tradesmen and labourers had more than held their own with tliose of Other workers. Sinee 1945, wages for, railway tradesmen and labourers had risen in a greater proportion than the eost of living. Railway labourers* received a basie rate of jd an liour above that lixed by tlie Arbitration Court for Un-skill-ed workers, while the more liberal interpretation of the deiinition of skilled labouring reduced the proportion to which tlie lowest rate applied. Rates for railway tradesmen wero mainly above those in outside oceupations. Answering the assessor for the workers ( -M r. J. A. Barton), the assistant general secretarv of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants (Mr. J: »S. Berry) said workers had laeen asked to eontribute to national savings to cr.eate "a liiianc-ial backlog*" against ihe time when goods were more pleutiful. The savings eould not be regarded as, surplus -wages, and Mr. Berry stated tliat the Department said at the tlmp lliat. savings of the kind would not be used as an argument against wage •laiuis in tlie future. In replv to the workers ' representaive 011 the Tribunal (Mr. E. ,A. Whitiow), Mr. Berry said the faet ' - that .wages had risen 31 per eent. during the past 10 years, while company income had increased by loo.per cent., suggested that wages increases " could be absoxbed witliout ehanging the priee 'levei. Tliis morning, the Tribunal was engaged in studying the submissiona Oy Mr. Collins, who is being qu.estioned about them this afternoon.