CASUAL EMPLOYEES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 239, 3 July 1919, Page 4

CASUAL EMPLOYEES

DISMISSED BY RAILWAY DEPARTMENT

GENERAL MANAGER'S EXPLANATION'

Protest has been made bv railwaymen against the action of the'l'aihvay Department in giving two days' notico of tarminatiou of employment to a number of casual hands employed at Thorn, don slntion and Lanibton station. It was staled that some of the men wora married and had been in the service of the Railway Department for several years. Tho sudden termination of their employment this week with no more than t.wo days' notice is regarded by the railwaymen as a hardship. The General Manager of Railways (Mr. It. W. M'Villy) told a Dominion - reporter yesterday Hint the men who had received notice were all "day to day" casuals. Ho was informed that none of them had been employed by the Department for moro than five years. Most of them had been employed temporarily to fill tho places of men withdrawn t'or military son-ice. They had been kept in employment aa long as possible, but the shortage of <!onl and the consequent reduction of railway services had compelled the Department not merely to reduco its casual staff, but. also to make special arrangements affecting the permanent staff. Members of the permanent 6talf wero being required to take any leave duo to them. The Department, under present conditions, had the greatest difficulty in imding employment for all tho members ot the permanent staff.

The present unfortunate position, added Mr. M'Villy, hail ariren with such suddenness that it had not been practicable to give the casual men long notice. In the ordinary course of events they would have received at least a fortnight's notice. But the reduction of ro.ilv.-ay services had been made at very thorfc notice, and the etatF arrangements had _to he adjusted accordingly. Tim public had been informed of the rcdnotuir- only a few days in advance. Eeturaed soldiers employed as casuals by the Department were being given special consideration, and would he retained as long as possible. Any of the men paid off would he re-cmployed directly normal conditions prevailed again.