RAILWAYMEN'S PAY

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 142, 11 March 1920, Page 6

RAILWAYMEN'S PAY

A REPLY FROM MINISTER : WM CESSIONS GIVEN PARES AND FREIGHTS TO BE ,„„„..,,_. INCREASED The following statement was issued bV"the"Minister of Railways yesterday: "WitH "a"'' View to preventing any misconception being created in the minds of the public by adverse comments and resolutions reported in the Press as having Been, passed by sections of the 1 railwav-.-servico regarding their wages asd conditions, it is, I think,- desirable to place before tho public a resume of what has been done to improve the pav and conditions of railwaymen since 1912.,< In 1911 the schedule rate of pay for rnilwavmen 'was 'as prescribed in the Bailwavs. Classification Act of 1911. The Tates for ; adults in tho traffic branch ranged from Bs. per day for porters and labourers, to lis. per day for. first-grado guards. In the locomotive' workshops branch they ranged.from Bs. per day for labourers to lis. per dny for tradesmen, and from lis. Gd. to 13s. per day for lending tradesmen. In the locomotive running branch, from Bs. per dav for coalmen to 13s. 6d. per day for enrisedrivers In tho first grade. In the maintenance branch, from Bs. per dar for surfacemen and labourers to 12s. for first-grade tradesmen, and.from 11s. 6d. to 13s. for first grade leading tradesmen. Juniors ranged from 4s. to Bs. 6d. per day. Apprentices from Is. Gd. to Is. per day. , , ... The salaries of tho First Division Tanged from ,-€3O per annum for cadets to .£7OO per annum for first grade .otfiIn addition to the. schedule rates an allowance of Is. per day had been made wior to March. 1912, to porters and labourers, bringing their pay to 9s. per dav.

' What This Government Has Done. 'One of the first acts of the Government in 1912 was to pass amending classification Incorporating the allowance then in operation in the schedule, thus permanently increasing the wages. Tinder the 1012 Act the wages in tho traffic branch ranged from 9s. per day for porters and labourers to 11s. M. for . first grade guards. In the locomotive workshops from 9s. per day for labourers to lis. 6d. for first grade tradesmen, and from 12s. to 13s. Cd. per day for leading'-tradesmen. In the locomotive lunnine' branch from 9s. per day for coalmen to 13s. 6d.' per day for engine- . drivers.- first grade. Maintenance branch, from 9s. per day for labourers to 12s. per day for tradesmen ,irrst grade, and from 12s. 6d. to. 13a. fid. for leading tradesmen., 4s. to 9s. per day. .Apprentices, 2s. to jS. 6cl. per day.'ln addition to the schedule rates, allowances of from 6d. to Is. per day -were , made to certain tradesmen engaged on 6oecial work. i , • In : the clerical staff the ■maximum of certain olasses was increased. ■ The alterations involved an increase ju salaries ;wS9 wages of over £94,000. In 1913 an amending Classification Act ■was passed, which dealt principally with the First Division. This provided for increased . salaries approximating .£3IOOO over and.above the Act of-191A The 1913 schedule remained in operation until April. 1919. . War Bonuses. During the period of the -war two bonuses of Is. per day were granted to eiriele'men of the Second Division; three bonuses of Is. per day to married menTif the .Second Division nnd widowers with'dependants. Three bonuses ol £15 per annum were granted to married- members of the First Division in recoiut : of salaries not exceeding .£220 per, annum: two bonuses of-.£15 per anniim to members in receipt of salaries over £220 and up t0.£315 per annum';- one bonus of £15 to those in receipt" of salary not exceeding £330 per annum. Cadets received three bonuses of. £7 10s. per annum. - , While these bonuses were in operation married- men of tho Second Division received Is. per day more than single men. and married men of the First Divisions up to £220 per annum, and £220 to £330, £30 and £15, respectively' more than single men. in that The bonuses and allowances referred to'"-were independent of the' schedulo rates of pay, and therefore did not lervo to augment the earnings of the. staff in computing •overtime rates, nor were they- taken into consideration in arriving at (superannuation retiring allowances. - ; . ;,"The New Schedules. ' , Within a short time from the date ofthe -6iirnins. of the armistice conferences ■between' the executives of the various railway .societies and the management and "Minister of Railways were held, ■when-the. conditions, hours, and pay of railwayih'en 'of all grades were exhaustively discussed, and new schedules agreed .-upon:'-" In conformity with the arrangements entered into, the Government Railways Act of 1919 was passed in October, of that year,' tho-rates of pay. being made- operative as from April i:' 1919: Under this schedule the rates of pay ttii'. Second- • Division. in tho traffic bfanbh"-"range 'from a minimum of 12s. per day for porters and labourers to 15s. per, ;|OC iruards. Locomotive workshops.' from" a-minimum of 12s. per day •for lnbour'ers'to-Us. 6d. per day for fifsfcrade "tradesmen, and from 15s. to 17s. per day for leading tradesmen. Locomotive running branch, from 12s. per day for coalmen to 17b. per day for eneinedrivers. . Maintenance branch from 12s. for labourers to 15s for first grade tradesmen, and from 15s. Gd. to 176. for leading tradesmen. Juniors from -65.,t0 10s. per day. Apprenticesfrom."3s. 6d. to 7s. 6d. per day. The First Division ranges from a minimum of £65 per annum for cadets . to': £850 for first grade officers. The in- • creased cost of the 1919 schedule over tho schedulo of 1913 was approximately £700.000. On the ooming into operation of the 'Act of 1919 payment of war bonuses ceased, and thqy becamo incorporated in the regular pay of the members, and are tai*on into account in tho_ computation of overtimo and superannuation. In.respect to the Second • Division the schedule' Tates of pay refer only to work performed' between tho hours of 6 a.m. and 10. P.m. Time: worked between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. is paid for at rato and ! a auarterV The benefits accruing from the schedule to the Act are snbstantially increased by reason of the improved working conditions brought into operation on April 1, 1919. Epitomised, the improved conditions are:— Fortv-four-hour week granted to men in tho locomotive workshops and workshons men of the maintenance branch, instead of 4S-hour week. Princinlo of eight-hour day established in all cases where work is continuous, each day standing by itself; over time at rato and a quarter being naid for tinio worked in excess, of eight hours in each day. Forty-eight, hour week "ranted to tab let nortors, crossing-keepers, and bridgekeepers at busy places where work is continuous. .Whero work is inter mittent and lighter in character sixty hour week, equivalent timo off being granted for hours worked in excess .of those named.' Previously tablet porters worked maximum of 72 hours per week. Concession of rate and a quarter of the schedule day rato granted for work between hours of 10 p.m. and 0 a.m. irrcsnective of whether men ~*mmenoo or finish shift botween those hours. Overtime worked between 10 p.m. and G a.m. paid for at rato and quarter on rato and quarter. Soecial increment of 6d. per day to enginedrivers and guards employed on more imnortaiit trains as determined bv the Department, '.Reduction of intermittent time as far as practicable. Trainmen paid for all standing timo away from home station.

Trainmen 'at foreign stations when booked off for rest-for less than hours mid for three hours' standing tlm».

Engincdrivers and guards allowed ten minutes per day for correspondence.

Portors. other than tablet portors, granted payment for overtime instead of being givon time off. Allowance of Is. per day granted when members aro on duty away from home station for more than 11 hours in ono shift.

Increase of adult pay, in no cane less than 3s. per day, and un to 3s. Gd. ner dav. included in schedule. The effect of the improved schedule anl conditions is illustrated in tho following tvoical cases of earnings of different grades of railwaymen, taken at random from tho various main centres of the Dominion. Averaee per wick i'or 3G weeks ending Febi'iarv 1-1,1920. Schedule Average per day. earnings. 5. d. £ s. d. Engine driversFirst grade 1G j 6 0 5 Second errado .......i. 15 0 5 7 5 Firemon— First eradc 13 6 J Second grade 12 6 4 8 9 Cleaners 12 0 4 12 Cleaners ' • -3 4For 12 weeks ending February 14, 1920. Guards— . 6. d. £ s. d. First wade « f * Jj* 7 Second grade 13 i 10 ° Shunters— ma First grade U 0 *" 8 • and 14 6 Second erode 13 * *5 "* Signalmen- . n First grade \\\ \\\ Second grade 13 0 *6 .3 Stnremen— . „ ln First grade M J *«■}? Second grade 80. 4 51 Porters "0 40 7 As a iwnlt of the new schedule of rates and the classification, the Fust Division received the following benefits:Comparing 1918 with 191?. there were in the First Salarv. Men. Men. From j6475.t0 XSOO ....... \\ *- From .£4OO to ...... « {« - From am to .£4OO f M» From. XSIS to .£350 22 180 From to JE3OO 133 «1 Since tho 1919 D-3 was compiled a considerable number of aM'VTHi? 1 ' 0 ?™" tions have been made which furthei improves the position of men in this division.

Leave nnd Other Advantages.. In his verv exhaustive report, Mr. Justice Stringer points out that although it is true that in some cases the rates.suggested for skilled tradesman seem to compare unfavourably with the rates being paid at the present time by pr - vate employers, times are still abnormal, and as against the high rates-a continuance of which cannot be relied onmembers of. the railway staff have substantial advantages, namely :—

(1) Permanency of employment. jSo lost time waiting for material, or between jobs. (2) Annual leave on full pay. (3) Superannuation a.lowance. 4) Cheap railway travelling. (5) Annual passes.' . , I think it desirable at this juncture to definitely state the extent of these privileges as they apply to the ra:lwa) staff. .The duration of leave of absence

First Division: Members with less than 10 years' continuous service-two weeks in each year. Members who have served continuously for 10 years and upwarusthree weeks in each year. Members who regularly work seven days per week throughout the year-four *fVs,eac year-subject to tho proviso that in nil cases where the intermittent emergency and sick leave /granted on full pay to Members exceeds 14 days in any one year dnvs in excess of 14 shall he deducted from the ordinary leave specified above. Second Division: Members with less than 10 years' continuous service, entitled to overtime-six working days leave in each calendar year, len years and over-nine' working days in each calendar rear. ..Members not entitled, to overtime; with less than 10 years continuous service-nine working (lays in each calendar year; 10 years and ovcr--12 working days in each calendar yeai. In addition, four Departmental holidays -Christmas Day, Good .Friday, Labour Day, and Sovereign's Birthday-or dajs in lieu thereof are granted to such members as have necessarily to work on any or nil of the four days named.. ■ . Sick pay is granted to the First Division as under:— On On .Service. Ml par. half pay. Months. Months Under 5 years 1 J 5 years and under 10 years 2 J 10 years and over V... 3 In special cases where tho memlx-r hafl not recovered from his illness, further extension may bo granted as follows:On On No Service. half pay. third pay pay. Months. Months. Months. Under 5 years 1 6 8 Over 5 and under 10 years 3 6 b 10 years and over 6 3 o Members retiring from the railway service under the provisions of the government Railways Superanmiaton Fund Act ore granted three .months leave on full pay. ... , ~' Members voluntarily retiring from the service for their own purposes are granted leave on full pay as under:- . Period of Continuous.servico, leave. 10 years and under 20 years 4 weeks 20 year 3 nnd over G weeks Members dispensed with through no fault of their own, before reaching the retiring age are granted leave on lull Pay as under:- ' Continuous service. . leave. Under 5 years : 4 weeks 5 years and under 10 years 8 weeks 10 years and over •■ 12 weeks Regular casuals paid at a '.daily raw who were ineligible for appointment to the permanent staff when they first joined the railway service, or who, although eligible from point of ago, have been unable to pass the examinations necessary to qualify for permanent appointment, will, if their services are dispensed with through no fault of their own after having served not less than 10 years' continous service, and attained the age of GO years be granted leave on full, paytor "the period specified below: Period of • Continuous service, leave. 10 years and under 15 years 6 weeks Over 15 years Bweeks During the period on leave-free passes are granted to each member and his wife, nnd family, available for travelling daily during the whole period of the leave, and from any station to any station desired. The railway employee may also obtain once per week a privilege ticket for himself nond wife respectively, if necessary, entitling him to travel between stations specified at pnefourth of tho rate charged to ordinary passengers. .Members of the sen-ice residing at places necessitating their travelling by train to their work may obtain a season ticket at one-fourth of the ordinary season ticket rate. Members of the permanent staff who are contributors to the Superannuation Fund, on their retirement, receive an annual allowance of one-sixtieth of thn'r pay for each year of service—maximum superannuation two-thirds of pay. A member retiring with 20 years' sorvico therefore receives one-third pay; 30 years service, half pay; 40 years' service, two. thirds pay, on retirement.' What Concessions Mean. As "a concrete example of what these concessions mean, take the case of a railway employee with a family of two children, himself and wife, who travels on ik free past from Wellington to Ho torua to spend his holidays. A first-das" "Veo pnss would reprint a saving at the ordinary return rates for four adult* of £25 3s. 8d„ and a second-class pass £16 16s. If he or his wifo travel from Wellington to Auckland and back on a privilege ticket at any other time he would pay one-fourth of the ordinary rate, namely, £1 lis. 4d. first-class and £1 os>. lid socond-clflss, a saving of £4 13s. Ild. and £3 2s. 9d. respectively for the. journey. For tho U four-weekly periods ending February 4, 1912, tho total expenditure for wages and services paid to the railway staff was £1,390,000. For the 11 periods ending January 31, 1020, the amount was £2,494,000.

The additional bonus, recommended by Mr. Justice Stringer, of JMS per annum to certain grades of the First Division, married men and widowers with dependants; and £1 10s. to single men of certain grades in the First Division; and Is. per'day to married men awl widowers with dependants, and Gd. per day to single men in tho Second Division, will add at least an additional .£IBO,OOO per annum to the expenditure, for one branch only of tho Public Service. In making these- comments I wish to state definitely my conviction that tho Deoartment has every sympathy with tho aspirations of tho railwaymen to imDrovo their position so long as the negotiations are conducted in a reasonable and constitutional way. That: the Government is likewise sympathetically disposed towards the service is shown by Hie imnrovements that have in the past heen made in the rates of pay and working conditions for many years. The men have regularly negotiated in turn with successive Ministers of Bailways, successive Governments, and Departmental administrative officers. They have also exercised their rights and petitioned Parliament, but were still dissatisfied. Accordingly at the request of a section of the staff _ a board was .set ur> to make investigations. This board was presided over by His Honour Mr Justice Stringer, a gentleman who has a wide knowledge of labour conditions throuehnut the Dominion. Associated Kith him were two members having tech nical knowledge of working conditions and rates of pay. One gentleman repro nented the Department, the other repro sented that section of the railway service whose case was being dealt with. Tho decision was left entirely in the hands' of His Honour Mr. Justice Stringer, who for the purpose of the inauirv occupied a unique position. He was absolutely independent, and brought to bear on the case a trained and impartial mind. Increased Fares and Freights Inevitable. Judgo Stringer's report is now the sub* iect of adverse criticism by some of the men for whose benefit tho board over which he presided was set up. Surely every thinking member of the comnwnitv will aeree with me in saying that the time has now arrived when a pause must lie called, and the wholo position senouslv considered.

The two-war rates for passenger traffic, have already been materially increased, nnd an impost of 21 per cent, has been levied in respect to the bulk of the goods traffic. In order to stabilise the finances of the Railway Department and meet tlio further increase in wages and salaries recommended in Judge Stringer's report, and the very serious advance in prices of all railwav material' and stores, a further increase of- i per cent, will rea'liro to Iki made in fares and rates._

Tho Government is exceedingly anxious to do everything ■ possible for the members of the. Public Service, whether in the Railway or any other. Department, but at a time like this, following the cessation of war expenditure, we must, look forward to a period of considerable financial stringency, • and in consequence reouire to bo more than usually careful. THE OFFIciFINSTITUTE REFUSAL TO ACCEPT BONUS. The Wellington Railway Officers' Institute forwards the following reporh-r "After fullv considering the published decision of Mr. Justice Stringer upon the railwav officers' claim before the Wages Bonrd. we refuse to accept the proffered bonus of .£ls. it being considered that such offer is a direct insult. This refusal is supported by the fact that the claims ns put forward.by the Officers' Institute Executive were established unon a moderate basis and justified by indisputable evidence. Tho omission to reply to the claims in full as set out in the order of reforenco and the indecisive reply on several points, and the general tone lend us to believe that the. duty of adjudicating upon railway officers' claims has not been seriously attended to. It is Dointed out that such questions referring to payment "for highest and lowest grades, payment for cadets, casual employees, night duty, and minimum marriage allowance have not been replied to, and in other instances the finding is loft for the Department to adjust. Objection is also taken to the offer of .67 10s. to sinele officers, if being considered that these monitors are equally entitled to full navment for services. upon these features we refuse to accept the findings on any point, and urge that immediate steps 1)0 taken to have our full claims thoroughly reconsidered. The Dcsition of railway officers lssoacutaand critical that nothing but the original claims will be accepted." OTHER RAILWAY ORGANISATIONS. Tho members of tho railway service appear to be unanimous in their potest neainst tho recommendations of the .Kaiiwav Commission. Strongly-worded resolutions objecting to the amount of flic pi-ooowd addition to wages are reaching Hcheers of the A marinated Society of Railwav Servants and of the Loeomotivo Engineers, Firemen and Cleaners Association from all parts of New Zealand: nnd so far no centre has approved of. the rironosal. ... t,„„„ The railwavmen'fl organisations nave not ve.t moved in regard to th" recommendations. It is anticipated that ate the renort has been considered officiallj bv the executives, they will ask for a further opportunity to represent their case to the, Minister of Railways. ,

By TelegraDh-Proßi Association Woodvillo, March 10. A representative' meeting of the wlodvX branch of the A.SJft.B. resolved not to support calling on the executive to take a ballot for or S « strike, hut that the executive he left to deal" with the situation; that the AVages Board's offer of K bonus per dar * not considered sufficient and that the executive council be strongly reSuMted to urge that ss. per day n - Sis neeonary to meet the present costofl ' ;vi " g "lnvercargill, March 10. At a meeting of the Invjrcarjjffl branch of the A.S.K.S. to-night general dissatisfaction .was expressed wth t c Wa-es Beard's decision regarding the tains! and the failure to recommend an alteration in the working hours and conditions. A vote of all members of the branch will he taken on the subject.