RAILWAVMEN'S WAGES AND CONDITIONS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 147, 17 March 1920, Page 8

RAILWAVMEN'S WAGES AND CONDITIONS

Sir.—l .was very interested to read the long account the Minister of Railways eaw recently in your paper an to' tho increased wages and improved conditions granted to members of the Service during the war. Now. "Sir, if you and the readers of The Dominion will contrast the present pay and conditions of outside labour with those now obtaining in tho Service, it will onlv show that railway workers have in Hie past been cMsgracefully underpaid. The Minister holds un the Superannuation Act as a wonde"ful benefit to the men. Vf yon have been following the present fifrht for belter conditions, you will no doubt atrrre that it is for those who are at the'head of the list, but not for the man down below in the Second Division, 1 am a first-wade machinist 'in the Service rftceivine a wage of 13s. per day, and out of this sum I have to pay ninepenee halfpenny every day for the privilege of being in the Superannuation Fund. Take free passes and privilege tickets at Christmas time, when 99 per cent, of workshop men are on holidays, they cannot use either passes or pnivilc.se licketo on the Maui Trunk express bains from December 15 to January 5. and on tho othoT line* more than hull' ot' their holidays thev cannot travel. So much for those cre'at benefits. The Minister does not toll the public, that unskilled labour outside is receivimr higher wages than skilled t-ndpsniMi in tV.e rVvvice. Sir. I make bold to say that railwayman in the Second Division are. at present the woTst oaid men in the Dominion. This ii freely admitted V ueonle outside the Service.' and vet the Minister would, .have ii.-> nublic behove (hat the.men are wellnnid and have no legiffmate grievances. We have waited patiently and have about reached the limit.—T niii. etc.. RAILWAY WORKER,