How Public Servants View Court's Pronouncement

Chronicle (Levin), 16 April 1949, Page 7

How Public Servants View Court's Pronouncement

Press Association)

(Per

WEXiLlN G i UJN , Apru 14. "The findings of the Arbitration Court establish the claims which my association has been making for the past two years," said Mr. J. Turnbuli, the general secretary of the _ Public Service Association, in a supplied statement to'day. • - ' ' ' The Court has f ound that the vvorkers ' share of the national ineome has reduced over the last 10 years and that the wages actually paid in industry have inereased by a greater rnargin than. most of the rates preseribed in the awards, ' ' stated Mr. Turnbuli. "As the Public Service rates arb based on awards this means that tne public servants are worse oft' even than other workers. This was also aeknowIedged by the margms and anomalies '.•ommittee. The Court also draws attention to the evidence that the earnuigs of salaried workers have uot kept pace with the eafnings of wage workers. A great deal of evidence to the same eifect was plaeed before the niargins and anomalies committee in an endeavour to have the margins for skiii and responsibility in the public service restored to some reasonable relationship to what they used to be, and what they ought to be. " Mr. Turnbuli said that submissions had also been made beiore the Kail.vays and Post and Telegraph Tribunals, •mt the highly slcilled employees of the Government reniained, ne said, me j worst paid workers in the countrv. " it i is true that a section of the Governinent Printing Office employees alone out of the wholc of the Public Service! received an increase, but they will now j expeet to have tlie benclit oi Ihe Arln- 1 tration Court 's award appiied to them j to retain their position. "The Court 's pronouncements are beiug studied carefully by my execulive as they must have a very considerable bearing on the Public Service wage j rates. Meauwlule, tlie increases granted ' other sections of the State services have i not been given to the Public Service j under commission control, although j j there is ample authori'ty for doing this. '"Tlie Government has said that Lheso ineroases can only be obtained Ihrough the Government Service Tribunal, whi Je we, for our part, have the responsibility of ensuring that the Jongterm interests of the |>ublic servants are not bargained uvvay for a small and illusory gaih. 4 There is no reasou vvby 'iiutualJy satisfactory airangenieiils 'arjnot lio mado. It is expectcd that representatives of the association wili have discussions shortly with tlie 't'i'ii'i i'ruue Minister, ' ' concluded Mr. Turnbuli.

tration relating to the new standard rates of wages is one which must very quickly increase costs of production in factories where tlie new rates become operative, ' ' said Mr. D. V. Wilson, acting-president of the New Zeaiana Manufacturers ' Pede'ration, in a statement today. He added that the Federation was pleased to note that the Price Tribunal hoped shortly after Easter to announce its policy, and his organisation trusted it would have the opportunity together with other main groups of the community to express its opinion. This, he said, would be consistent with the general understanding which the Pederation had with the Government that along with other appropriate national organisations it vvolild be consulted on major issues of this type. He also hoped there would be an opportunity tor each mdustry automatically to add the actual wage increase involved as a net surcharge on its approved prices from the date on which the new wage rates become operative in each industry. This, he said, would avoid the immediate burden being borne by oiie section of the community and would allovv time for a complete review oi prices in each group of commodities ailected as tne award adjustuients wero made. It would also allovv time to guuge the extent to which anv inereased production or otner factors had counterbalanced the inereased wage costs.