PETONE WORKSHOPS.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 428, 10 February 1909, Page 8

PETONE WORKSHOPS.

AN INDIGNATION MEETING. ABOUT AN APPOINTMENT. : !•■ A' meetinfj was held at the blacksmiths' room at the Petone Railway W.orkshops during the, luncheon interval yesterday.. to protest against the appointment of an employee of the Manawatu Railway Company tothe.position of foreman; in succession to Mr. Noil H'Lean.. 11 was contended: that local men should have had,consideration;, ..-,..■ i The man who suffered by the arrangement addressed the meeting, and stated- that ho had complained to the Department,- but to date he had received no reply./ One of the others remarked'that-the question affected everyone employed in the .various workshbpSj and, apart from the_ present instance, he objected to,the principle involved. ■The-'apppintment,'he contended,' should have been niade from the D 3 list. Of course, they had;nothing against.the,appointee, but they must act in'self-defence, or.they themselves would be victimised. .'Hβ complained that the man in question-had only seen five' years'service.-, , , . :■. '":■ .'..;,'::■; \y'- : ',■."'.'■■ After other speakers had added their quota, the following motion' was , carried unanimously: "That this- assemblage regrets : the' recent action of the Railway authorities-in going outside of the D 3 list to make the selection for an appointment, and that we;rcques,t that all men be graded according to the length of 'service," : '.. ■'.".',.'- : A affirming the:principle that the secretaries of railway employees' associations should he notified in such cases, was also carried.- .. ,-.;■ ■■ ■■■.' ■ ~' -.'; :■■■-. .■ : ,-,■;. .':. '\ / AN EMPLOYEE'S STATEMENT., ,'' "';. : .';■ MATTERS IN A FERMENT. '-; :V '- ■ According to a .'Bta , tement"made to a-Do-, minion reporter by an employee at the IPetbrie workshops .yesterday,' matters are in a state of ferment, and there is general uncertainty as.to the position they are;in,,and indignation is freely expressed. This man from the Manawatu said our informant, has been.placed over the lifters and outside carpenters in the yard, repairing wagons, etc. ■'It is,a recognised principle,""he declared, "that-all promotions are to go by,> seniority, andthere are" manymen with 15 or 20 years' service wb.o : should have been given'preference over, the,new_obmer.,;,By'the .way, there is absolutely,, nothing against, this particular man. In all probability he is a-very capable man; in,fact, ; l think heis; but it is not.fair to. those who have served alonjj rerm : in the Government service. Referring to the; boiler-, makers, one man-,'it is understood,, is. coming as • a hand, which we have not; had .for :.four years. ■[ The man ■ at, present,in charge is a practical man,; inspects ;■ his i own boilers, put on his dungarees, and it is quite unnecessary, for a leading hand; to be in that department. •-The great;complaint/ however, is that they are putting men-in charge, who have not the service and who get ahead of de-' serving employees.' , , '. , .',' . i ! Have there been other cases? asked the reporter. ■■■' . ■ :...\ : . ; ; '-; : -.-".'.''"' .-:"■;..-;' ."Yes/' came'the reply, "in addition, to the one in the lifters' department'arid the one .in'the. boilermakers' department. We are in fear that there will be further transactions of this,nature, and this;is 'resented by. , all; In; about a week, we, expect the ; arrival':of, the man, in the boilermaking department; and he would be'placecl; over men who have ias mubhxas 25 years' service and who have acted as foremen upon; occasion.; When he comes, we think there will be further trouble." ,: ■: