Long Overdue Salary Claim Of Public Service

Chronicle (Levin), 3 May 1949, Page 7

Long Overdue Salary Claim Of Public Service

Press Association)

(Per

WELLINGTON, May 2. By tlie margin of six votes in 198, the annual meeting of the Wellington 'section of the Public Service Association decided tonight to demand immediate satisfaction of "long overdue salary claiiris, " £57 per annuni, and requested the executive to press with vigour for an increase of £104 per annuni. This decision was reached by 102 votes to 96 after members had heard an address by the national president, Mr J. i P. ,Lewin followed by a keen division I of opinion in the general discussion. Mr Lewin traeed the history of negotiations sinee 1947 for salary increases and explaihed why there was yet "nothing in kitty ' ' for public servants. He told members there was very little hope of their getting the recommendations of the margins ■ and anomalies committee put into elfect. "Putting two and two together," said Mr Lewin, "after two years of struggle and strife and bitterness, you are exactly where you were as far as getting money is concerned. He accused the Government of robbing civil servants of £35 per annum, the increase at the skilled base which the margins and anomalies committee had recommended as from October 1, 1947, to bring eivil service rates up to a leve1 comparable with those ruling in ihdustry. He said the Public Service wouid probably get £35 in either one or two bites but because the Court of Arbitra tion had granted £35 for all skilled woi kers, the public servant would be left where he was before. Mr Lewin said the Government,' by bludgeouing tribunal legislatiou through the House, manufacturing a synthetic Communist scare and coni'using the issue with various tribunals, had sidestepped the elaims. Mr Lewin said that an attempt" to smear him had been made but it ha! r'ailed and recoiled. The lesponsioility for the failure of civil servants to get the £35 per annum recommended by the margins committee, rested with the Government. In this he was criticising the Government as einployer and not from the political point of view. The Government had treated the Service Association most shabbily. There was no hope of a further pacific reasonabie approach to the Government since the Government had closed its heart on the issue. There was siight hope, liowever, Jiat the applications of the margins and uiomalies committee 's recommendations would be secured as an approach Lo Parliament through a petition. Meanwhiie the association had applied to the Government Service Tribunal for a pro fqrnia application to the Public Service >f £22 per annum, the increase granted .o railwayriien and Pos,t and Telegrapn vvorkers. Publicity on every aspect of he margins and anomalies committee 's .•ecommendations would be distributed Later. Speaking of the Holmes' letter, Mr Lewin said the job of exposing the tactics used against public servants, would still have to be perforiued. Although the Prime Minister had said there would ie uo royal commission of inquiry, oue .vould have to be sought because the ueed to proteet the individual in a democracv was greater than Ihe need to proteet the Government 's face. During a long. general discussion, the meeting adopted the resolution already quoted. It aiso recorded its continued confidence in the executive and pledged its suppo/t to it. A motion in thesc terms was carried without any dissentient voice. Replying to remarks of a member ,who said officials of the association appeared to have been outgeneralled by the Government and that the associa-

1 tion might have got the £22 per annum with less trouble as the Post and Teiegraph Association did, the genera? srr. retary, Mr J. Turnbull, ,ssvH that the award of £22 to the Post and Telegraph workers and railwavmen was 90 per cent due to the efforts of the Public 1 Service Association.