CASUAL EMPLOYEES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2585, 6 October 1915, Page 8

CASUAL EMPLOYEES

IN THE RAILWAY SERVICE

Tlie Eaihvays Committco of t'lio flouse of Eepresentat-ivcs, through tlio chairmiiii (Air. D. liuick), yes-terdny reported on the petition of A..Snoclgrass and seven others, of Wellington, praying that they be granted the same benefits as are given to tlio permanent employees of the Government railway service. The petition was to the following effect:—

"Tho petition of t'he undersigned herewith sheweth that your petitioners are casual employees of tlio New Zealand Government railways, and have all been from ten to twenty-six years in the and have fulfilled all tho duties and obligations in the same manner as employees placed on the permanent staff, but notwithstanding are still classed as casuals, and do not enjoy tho 6ame benefits which are given to permanent men. Therefore your petitioners request that you will confer those benefits to casuals of over ten years' service which aro given undei* the present rules and regulations to permanent employees, and that Eules 96, 97, f)8, ajid 114 Shall apply to tliein also, with • the exception of superannuation, which-we do not want to belong to, or to apply to your petitioners." The Chairman of the Committee reported as follows: —"I am directed to report that tho Committee is of opinion that all regular casuals paid at a daily rate, and who were ineligible for permanent staff when they first joined tho railway service, and who have bean continuously employed for a period of ten years and over, bo granted the privileges under regulations Nos. 98 and 114, and that effect be given thereto at an early date, and recommends that this petition be referred to the Government for immediate and favourable consideration." .

■ Mr. T." M. "Wilford (Hutt) congratulated the Conimitteo on tho recommendation, and said that a good case was made out that casuals of ten years in the service should receive the consideration of permanents on retirement. He mado a plea -oil behalf of the "casual" who'had spent -his life in the service of the State, but who had received none of those little considerations which were shown to the permanent members. There were several ■pievances which he placed before the iMinister. For instanco, special rule books were not given to "casuals," although they might bo controlled by those, special rules. Further, circulars which applied to permanent and casual hands alike were never .'s'ent to ' tho casuals. He admitted thai the casuals had had certain privileges, and thanked the Minister for those. At the same' time\'it was the "pin-pricks" they got that caused the discontent. In his opinion, men who had had fivo years' service should be granted the privileges asked for, so long as they were of-the retiring age. It seemed to him that the Government could very well accede to the requost mado, and he hoped the report of the Committee would not meet the fate of so many reports that came Before the House. " He thought' that Mr, R.-W. M'Villy was favourably impressed with , the requests made. Mr. ,W. A. Veitch (Wanganui) thought that every member of the Railway Committee was impressed with the manner in which the evidence was . put before them. He felt sure th» Minister would see his way to to the request.

_ Mr. 6. Witty (Riccarton) fully endorsed all the remarks made. Several of the "casuals" had been employed for over tw<aity years, and had they not been good nieii they would not have been kept on so long. It had'to be remembered that the "casuals" were not increasing, for men who joined -the service now understood that they had to be under a. certain ago. He thought both the Minister and Sir. M'Villy were sympathetic towards the men. ', \

Mr. H. G. Eli (Christchurch South) said tliat tho matter had been lield up for some, years, and ho thought the Minister would now seo the ■advisability of meeting the requests. The more content) there was in the service the better work would be done. The .men were not asking for much, and if their requests were acceded to it would put a comfortable feeling iiy the. minds of the casuals. They were not asking for superannuation. ■ >' Mr. T. K. Sidey (Dunedin South) said that he felt sure that on this occasion the request would meet with favourable consideration from the Government. The! request for free railway passes would not cost) the Government mucli.

Dr. Newman (Wellington East) said that.there could be no doubt that the men ivere worthy of some consideration. .He drew the attention of the Minister, to the fact that the same disadvantages with regard to "permanent casuals" existed- in other Departments of the Civil Service: ' The Reform Governirent had taken the matter up in some respects, and with beneficial results. The persons affected in the present case only numbered about 150, and they would be going out of the service one by one, so it would not cost the Department anything to give them free passes for a time. ■ Mr. J. Payne (Grey Lynn) supported the petition. He thought that they should do away with the "casual" system altogether. The report Was received.