RAILWAYMEN'S PAY

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2702, 23 February 1916, Page 6

RAILWAYMEN'S PAY

MR. MACK'S IMPATIENCE

PRIME MINISTER'S OPINION

The Prime Minister gave some account yesterday of what occurred when on two recent occasions representatives of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. waited upon the Minister of Railways (tho Hon. AV. H. Herries) and himself.

"In view of the statements by tho secretary of the A.5.R.5.," said Mr. Massey, "while I have no intention of at present discussing the proposals made by tho two deputations, one from tile A.S.R.S. and the other from the locomotive men, to the Minister of Railway* au.d myself, I think it is only right to say that tbo members of both deputations expressed their opinions in the most friendly manner to the Minister fliid myself. There was no friction, and no heat on either side, and noihing -was said that could possibly b« taken exception to. ■ "At the close of the meeting with 'he A.S.R.S. _ deputation, and in response fo their request for an increase of wages—which, at Is. per day, meant over £200,000 per annum—l said, according to the shorthand report of tho interview taken by my private secretary, who was present: 'This is a matter for Cabinet, and will be considered at the first meeting of Cabinet at which the Finance Minister (Sir Joseph Ward), the Minister of Railways (tho Hon. W. H. Hemes), an 3 myself are present. I hope that will bo next wcel?, but I cannot promise that definitely Because several Ministers will he away from Wellington on business. 1 Mr. Mack then said: 'Can you give us a reply within a. month from now?' I answered: .'Certainly 1' 'TBon at tho conclusion of tho interview between the locomotive men and the same Minist-ers I used these words: 1 wanted fo make it perfectly clear I hat. neither myself nor the Minister of Railways could commit the Government to increased expenditure. Tho request would bo submitted to Cabinet at a very early date, when tho three Ministers principally concerned (Sir J*osepli Ward, Mr. Herries, and myself) could, be present. •• "I consider tha£ Mr. Hack, by rushing into print before a week had elapsed l.rom the date of the interview at which he indicated that he would bo satisfied with a reply within a month, is not playing the game, or is attempting to make mischief." Mr. Massey added that lie had not yet been able to bring tho matter before a full meeting of Cabinet, because the three Ministers chiefly concerned—the Minister of Railways, the Minister of Finance, and himself tfad not all been in Wellington together since the promise' was made. It may be that the fipire of £200,000 will strike people as being an extravagant over-estimate. In actual fact it is not. There are upwards of 11,000 men in the second division of the railway service, and if the wafjes of these men were increased a shilling a'day, the wafjes of the clerical' men of . the first division, many of whom are not as well paid as tho second division men, would nlso have to be increased. There _ are 2300 clerical men in the i first division. An increase of one shilling a day is rather more than £15 a year, and if every man in these two sections of the service got this increase the total an. liual cost would be more than £200,000.

MASTER-TON BRANCH VIEWS.

The Ma6terton branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, at a meeting held on Sunday, adopted the following resolutions i '.'We are 111 sympathy ivith the Palmerstou North resolution ro calling a special meeting to consider a more drastic manner of figlitiug for our existence, but do not favour increasing the tariff on farm produce to enable tile Government to give lis the increase in pay. Any increase iu the tariff would be handed to the merchants, who in turn would hand it down to the workers. Consequently, the increase in pay would be an increase in the cost of living." . "That the Oamaru branch be supported in their action to obtain 2s. per day rise to', all men not in receipt of lis/ per day, making a minimum of lis. per day. Men in receipt of lis. per day or over to receive Is. per day rise. ■ Wo further support the Oa,maru resolution asking the Government to take immediate action to reduce the cost of jiving iu proportion to a 2s. per day rise. Failing this, our Executive Council be askea to take immediate and drastic action."

At a combined meeting of the Second' Division of.- the Masterton railwaymen, the following icsolution was carried:— "That a rise of 2s. per day for all railwaymen up to lis. per day, and from tlienco Is. per day Increase, be asked

for. Our demands to be made known, and, failing a satisfactory reply, a special meeting of railwaymcn be called, to consider a more drastic manner of fighting for our existence."

POSITION OF NON-UNIONISTS

In addition to the extra pay asked for by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, the question of nonunionists in the employ of the railways lias arisen. The Pctono Branch of the A.S.R.S., at a recent meeting, at which this matter was fully considered, passed the following resolution: —"That this branch of the A.S.R.S. is of the opin. ion that- no non-unionist should be allowed to participate in any of tho privileges fought for by members of tbs A.S.R.S., and that members bo requested to ignoro them entirely. Further, that drastic action be taken to compel all non-unionists in the servici to become members, and that rays ani means bo devised to make it absolute!; „ compulsory for these men 'to becomi * unionists, and to share in the expense* and responsibilities of their' unioniri fellow-workers for the advantage gained by tho efforts of the A.S.R.S. OPINION IN DUNEDIN. By Telegraph—Prees ABMciatlon. DunedSn, February 22. The Dunedin railwayinen have not passed any resolution of protest, and from, inquiries it is understood they are, unlikely to do 60. They quite agree they ought to have more pay, but they are inclined to believe that the matter will be amicably settled.