RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 10, 7 October 1907, Page 3

RAILWAY GRIEVANCES.

Protest from the First Division. THE AVAIL OF THE STATIONMASTER. Dissatisfaction continues to be expressed over tho general conditions governing tho First Division of tho Railway Service. Tho grievances are too long hours, too short pay, too much mismanagement. For months, it is contended, stationmasters and their clerks h.ivo been almost worked beyond human endurance, and that but for their untiring and ceaseless devotion to duty and general watchfulness there would have been a death rool from railway tragedies that would ■ have staggered tho peoplo of tho Dominion. Tho investigations which have been made into tho matter, by tho Department officials, it is urged, have not been carried out at all thoroughly, whilo tho reports which havo been forwarded to the General Manager and tho Minister havo covered up tho real condition of affairs, and perpetuated tho infliction of injustice, on, a deserving body of civil, servants. A striking circular is at tho present timo being circulated amongst tho First .Division of railway, servants. It explains tho position, without, however, pointing out how tho heads of tho department aro neglecting their responsibilities. "The Wail of tho Stationniaster" it is called, and it reads as follows:— Gentlemen: —Why ia tho Railway Service dissatisfied? To answer this lucidly it is best to deal with the two niost burning questions, viz., hours of duty and pay: HOURS. It will como as a surpriso to most peoplo to learn that tho Railway Stationmasters, ' Clerks and -Carets work anything from nino to fourteen hours per day. • Let us take one of tho many typical cases, Brown of Gone Bung Main Lino Station, Tablet, Post and Telegraph, Registrar of Births, Deatlia and Marriages, Government Insurance Agent, ' Collector of Sheep and Incomo Tax, Old Ago Pensions, Telephone Bureau, etc., otc. First train 6.30 a.m., last train 9 p.m. (not intermittent duty).- In addition to his ordinary work, which keeps him going all- day and v every day, each seven days tlioro aro special balances ■and returns to bo got out for Postal Department, and-oaeh four weeks (period) returns for railway. The Railway returns aro of such a voluminous character that Brown finds ho cannot, manago to carry oh his many duties and compilo his returns in the six working days, so one Sunday (at least) in each four ho has to return to his offico and put in a day or part thereof without pay.) Brown "is unablo to make an engagement, of any kind or onter into social lifo of tho community, and is in fact an almost entire stranger to his own family, as his ordinary routine duties keep him on tho go from 6 a.m. till 9 p.m. If ho applies, for assistance ho is told that Jones, now, at Dog Bono Station, managed Gono Bung fivo years ago without assistance, ,therefore nono can bo granted. Every littlo whilo Brown wil reeeivo »an advico saying that a Cattlo Special will leave "Bottlo Villo at 10 p.m. and will pass his station at 2.45 a.m. and his attendanco is, required. On thesb special occasions Brown may bo on duty from 2.45 a.m. to any timo during thojadxt night, and should ho remonstrate ! a polite noto is sent along referring him. to Rulo so and so. ' So acuto has' tho position become that a largo l number of our best officers aro leaving tho service and the junior ranks aro depleted to an alarming extent, Junior Clerks and Cadets resigning in numbers. "What is tho remedy for this stato of affairs? . For Town Stations—Sufficient staff to copo .with work on a summer traffic basis, limiting each man's duties so as not to exceed forty-eight hours per week, and a sufficient excess staff in training to fill all gaps caused by sickness, resignation, leave, etc. For Country stations—A flying relief that would relievo officers at country stations working long hours for one or two days each week as tho case may necessitate and a sufficient staff at- such stations to copo with work on a summer traffic basis. .Readjustment of Railway Accounts now too voluminous. Abolition of unpaid Sunday'duty. Fixed limit of hours for Firt Division Officers.

PAY. . :Tho Railway Department presontn a striking examplo of tho- effects of our present Labour laws upon any body of men disqualified from taking advantage of- such laws—the action of the various'Unions'in'raising the prico of labour and so all necessaries of life has reduced tho value of the salaried oificer in tho exact ratio of such enhanced prices. . i For as the Railway Official receives a fixed salary it follows tint i.l.ai' was a living wage in 1900, in 19')"' is a starvation wage. Let us •->moi , .re • tho salaries now paid to lowest tfi-.id;.-Stationmasters with those paid ten years ago. In 189/, tho low.--,t {/ratio received £150 and houso valnei at £25 per annum, total £175 per nnmi'ii . In' 1907 ho receives £ISO, /less £20 houso rent; an increaso of ■&> in' ten years,-that is to say, the S.M.'s got a paper rise of £30, engineered on houso rents. Tho Clerks and Cadets are even worse off. Let us compare them with the Post Office:— ■ Railway. Post and Telograph. Ago 1C ... £40 ... ... . £40 „ 17 ... £50 ... ... £50 ~ 18 ... £G0 ... ... £G5 „ 19 ... £70 ... ... £85 ~ .20 ... £85 ... ' ... £100 „ 21 ... £100 £115 „ 22 ... £110 ' ... £130 „ 23 ... £120 ... ... £115' „. 24 ... £130 ... ... £160 „ 25 ... £110 ... ... £170 ~ 2G ... £150 ... ... £180 27 ... £150 ... ... £190 „ 23 ... £170 £200 „ 20- ....'£lßo £210 „ 30 ... £180 • ... • ...£220 Then let us compare tlv salaries of Stationmasters and Postmasters in the various' Townships:— S.M. Post Master. To Awamutu £ISO £220 (houso free) Cambridge £180 £250 do. Rotonia ... £250 £300 do. Marton ... £250 £300 do. Wavorley ... £180 £210 do. Stratford ... £250 £300 do. TCltham ... £220 £250 do: Inglowood £220 £250 do. Hamilton ... £220 £300 do. Stationmasters in all cases pay rent, Postmasters do not. Postal Officials aro als» paid overtime, whereas tho Railway Officials, who aro called upon to do a [;ood deal of it, get no consideration. Whatever. At several of theso stations the Stationmastor. originally did tho Postal work in addition to tho Railway," and when oflices wero separated tho Postmaster received an increased salary and larger staff for doing the Postal work only. . A bad feature of tho present Railway salary is tho time it takes a Clerk to earn sufficient salary upon which to marry, tho ; average Cadet entering the service at 1C receive"-. only £120 per annum at 23 years of ago.

Tho scalo rcccntly given to tho Postami Telegraph Department is a fair one. Why should not Railway Officers who do much mora- responsible and arduous work for tho Stato and ; take considerable risks bo paid tho samo. • Wo consider t-lio Railway Officers hoiild receive a higher salary. Tho Railway man lias to take greater risks, works long hours and, as is well-known, tho nervous tension is such that lew traffic men livo to any great age.