Public Servants And Wage Delays

Chronicle (Levin), 5 October 1949, Page 6

Public Servants And Wage Delays

DUNEDIN, Oct. 4. At a well attended meeting of pubLie servants held in Dunedin tonight, extrem'e dissatisfaction was expressed by members at the continued delay in arriving at a satisfactory form of tribunal to deal with the just claims ot public servants, says a statement issued after the meeting. Two years ago when the Margins and, Anqmalies Committet>, was set up by the Government to con sider rates of pay in the service ih comparison with ruling rates in indus try, public servants expected some re dress to their unfavourable financia. posltion. In general terms this committeg'reeommended ,to the Government inereases of up to £35 per annum from October 1, 1947 but the Government deelined to implement these recommendations and~ introduced overnight legislation creating a tribunal which, it is elaimed, was totally incompetent to deai with the claims, particularly in regard to margins for skill and responsibilit.y. To prove this point it xs only necessary to consider the ease of oue service organisation which made , a claim to its tribunal for a £35 increase based on the findings of the margins and anomalies committee and was only £22 from July 1, 1948. Yet on June 1, 1949, the Arbi tration Court granted a general increase of £35 to workers in industry, Public servants have not yet participated in this increase but have now been given to understand that £22 which they naturally understood would be in settlement of margins and andmalies, is to be offset against the general increase granted to workers outside the service Members considered that they were fai from unreasonable in asking for a sa tisfactory judieial body to conside their claims. The following resolution was passed unanimously:— "This meeting ofDtagpublic servants expresses impatienc. with the Government 's delay in giving its decision regarding improvements tj the public service tribunal. We consid er that we are now entitled to an immediate decision and our exeeutive officerare requested to obtaih this withou further delay and to ensure that the ne cessary legislation is passed this ses sion. "