ENGINE MEN'S PAY

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 95, 16 January 1919, Page 6

ENGINE MEN'S PAY

ATTITUDE OF THE UNION THREAT TO STRIKE Replying to the statement made by the Hon. Mr. Harries, Minister of Railways, tho general secretary of tho New Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners' " Association (Mr. "\V. M'Arley) states that no official information has been conveyed to the association as to when the Minister is going to meet and discuss their grievances, and the announcement in the newspapers was the first that they knew he was-going to meet them. Some announcement had been made to M.P.'s to tho effect that he would go into the locomotive men's grievances after Christmas, but nothing had came to tho organisation in an official way so that it could be conveyed to their members. In any case, the secretary states that the executive council will not discuss the grievances any further with him, and unless he is prepared to say within a sliort time what he is going to do the members will'make the next move.

"The attitude taken up by the Minister," says Mr. M'Arley, "has made the members of this union realise that a stoppage of trains, for however short a period in New Zealand, is an economic power that cannot be wielded by any other organisation. The longer the Minister dallies with such a serious position the more solid and militant the members are becoming. The superannuation fund 'cuts no. ice' now with members,'and in any case the organisation has been assured by more militant organisations that the locomotive Association that if the Government tries to deprive thorn of their rights tliat, they will step into the breach. However, regarding discussing the loco, men's.grievances, tins is looked upon by members as mere waste of time, at this juncture. In 1911 we discussed these same matters with him, and petitioned Parliament, and got a favourable hearing, but no reforms have taken place. AVJe have met the Minister on many occasions ' since, and_ we receive the same stock reply, which, if it is not weary for the Minister to repeat, is wearisome for the delegates to listen to. We have gone back to our members siiice the year 1911 with the same talo, and can you wonder at the 'kick, over the traces.' The last time we met the Minister was prior to the bist session of Parliament, and he asked us to discuss matters with him, apparently with no view of doing anything, but to perform the usual incantation. Tho delegates told him that they had come to the conclusion that jt was merely 'waste of time discussing their grievances witli him. X 'can show you letters for the last six- years with the same old replies from the. Minister to ■ our grievances.' The, Executive Council have almost got on their knees to beg of him to do something to keep our conditions something .like those ruling for outsiders, and. who have obtained them by militant action,, and the council now feels that to continue this any longer would losei their self-respect as well ns being detrimental to the organisation. , This is all called in now, and the men have even turned down the Arbitration Court and the services of a Conciliation Commissioner, both of whirl) reauests have been declined or ignored by the Government. The men don't want either of these machines now. Tf.you can show us any other organisation in New Zealand which has shown so much patience and so much loyalty to their employer, we will be quite willing to concede the right to accept the Court or the Commissioner. The matter of war bonuses was merely granted to us to keep us within earshot of the cost of living, and has nothing to do with pur claims for increased wages and improved conditions which were before the Minister in the year 1911, when the maximum wage in Australia for locomotive nien was 2s. 6d. a day more than we enjoyed in New Zealand. That phase- of the dispute is mere camouflage. Wo have members in our union who have not received more than Is. a day statutory increase since the year 1896.

"Regarding the statement that he has to confer with the other organisations before doing anything, this is looked UQon as : moonshine by the members. He did not confer with the Locomotive Union before' putting the first division right in 1913, and then, in spite of the facV that we had not got fair treatment. Does the Union Steam Ship Company treat its engineers in this way when they demand improve-, ments? Do they state that whatever is given to the engineers must he given to 4he stewards, seamen, firemen and officers? They are a public service only under different management—private management and not politicabpull management. Anyhow, as for the conditions being left in abeyance while the wages are being considered, well, Mr. Myers did not look at it in this way when he-was Minister. r "However, the Minister lias had since the year 1913 to consider the- petitions sent to 'him by the Railways Committee, and if he requires an extension on that time the members are not propared to grant it and will possibly givo Mm as many hours to fix their troubles, as ho has been allowed in years. If tho Minister thinks he is dealing with the usual patient locomotive man ho is making the biggest mistake in his life."

THE MINISTER EXPLAINS. The above statement was referred to. tlio Minister of Railways yesterday. Mr. Homes said that lie was not disposed to carry on a newspaper controversy on the matters in dispute. !Ie said, howo/er, that although ho may not havo written officially to the association, ho had made so many statements in the House, and in answer to deputations, that he would meet the societies next month that lie had understood that the secretary of the association and the members knew the position. The usual custom in dealing with matters of wages and working conditions in the railway service was to go into the whole schedule and como to an agreement if possible. When the House met tlio schedule would go hefore the Railways Committee of the House, and if any persons thought they had not heen fairly treated in the proposed schedule they could apply to the committee and stateytheir case. After the schedule left the committee it would come before the House, and it would be for tho House to' say whether it was to be adopted or not. The wages were fixed by sch;dulo to the Act, and they could not be amended without the sanction of Parliament. He was now writing officially to Mr. M'Arley...