RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 114, 7 February 1919, Page 6

RAILWAY EMPLOYEES

CLAIMS OF THE LOCOMOTIVE MEN

LETTER TO THE MINISTER

Wβ have been asked to publish the following letter from the secretary of (he New Zealand Locomotive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners' As-ociation to the Minister of Railways, dated January 31: Sir,—l am in receipt of your letter of January 29 ro wages and conditions of ihe locomotive men, and in reply I am directed to advise you that tho meeting of delegates has been postponed until February 12, in order to meet with your wishes and arrangements for meeting the me non that date. lam directed to state that keen disappointment will be felt by the delegates if you have not prepared some indication of what you aro prepared to submit to Parliament. I on) directed to state that the delegates will feel the position because they were led to believe that when tho war- was raging that they were in the fight to make tho world safe for democracy, and also to make it a better and brighter world for those who have to live in it hereafter. The locomotive men naturally accepted that in view of the war, and expected that as soon as it had terminated their employer would come forward with proposals to make their life more Bociable and happier. This could be done by granting them a wage commensurate with the work they performed, nnd also by improving their conditions of work. This, according' to your letter, has not been given consideration by yourself or your Government, although'we aro told, and can see .for ourselves, that a welter of millions "is being received "by the producers in this country. It is no use of yourself and the Government enying that wo have not placed our claims before you as clearly as it is possible for anyone to do, as I have communications from yourself and the Government which show that representations have been made at every opportunity since the year 1912. Apparently, the delegates will have nothing to take back to their members, and this will, be the last straw. The men have been very patient during the last six years, and naturally must expect the next announcement from you. Dur;iir the last session of Parliament we met you on more than one occasion, and represented the men's requirements; ta fact, the last time ' that a. deputation met you from this executive they expressed the opinion that it was mere waste of time coming before you, as nothing appeared to come of the representations. However, Ido hope that -you will yet be able to give some indication of the improvements which you can bring about in the men' 6 wages and working conditions, and give the delegates something to take back to their members. Otherwise I feel sure from the expressions given out' by the. members that something more violent than resolutions will be given effect to. .Owing to the heavy burden of trying to bring up families on the wages and bonuses granted, and the poor social life which is being imposed upon the locomotive men by the public requirements, and also the small wage in comparison with the heavy responsibilities of a locomotive engineer, ithe men are almost ready to commit any act winch will remove these iniquities, therefore I feel sure that whatever Government is in power at a period similar to the present it is their bounden duty to come forward voluntarily with a scheme to improve the lot of the men who work, under conditions similar to locomotive men'. lam directed to ex. press the executive council's keen regret that your letter .'smveys no ray of hope in regard to the producing of proposals in regard to the men's claims.—l am etc., ■ '

W. M'ABLET, „. . , ~_~ General Secretary. Minister of Railways, Wellington.

A FORTY-HOUR WEEK. By Telegraph-Press Association. _ Wanganui, February 6. At a meeting of the railway workshops employees the following resolution% ne passed to-day :-"That this meeting demand thnt the Government introduce a forty-hour week as the only logical solution to the repatriation,.problem."