RAILWAY WORKERS' RESOLUTIONS.

Evening Star, Issue 23688, 23 September 1940, Page 6

RAILWAY WORKERS' RESOLUTIONS.

TO TBE EDITOR. Sir, —“ Democrat ” fails to see how “ Efficiency ” conceives the idea that employees at the Workshops are not railway workers. Railway, as the name implies, is the railroad for vehicles—as trucks and carriages—an exclusive highway for the transport of passengers and goods by means of locomotives, and only those employed in this department are railwaymen. 1 still adhere to my opinion (which is generally believed by the outside worker) that the 'Workshops employee has no right to the free pass. In his letter of September 12, “ Democrat ” referred to “ 100 per cent, patriot ” as a worker in a warehouse who “ibuys his shoes, hats, etc., for a family at 10 per cent, on cost price, while the railwaymen he refers to pay just 40 iper cent, more.” In his letter of September 19 he admits that there is a Railwayraen’s Association, and justifies that by stating “ there is also a Public Service and a Returned Soldiers’ Association,” and, further, that “ any worker is entitled to become a member of the Rail way men’s Purchasing Association.” What I wish to point out is that his association arranged with the tradesmen, drapers, and footwear dealers for a special discount of 121 per cent., and struck a blow at the other retailers in the business, and -consequently the shop assistants would be dismissed. If the Railwaymen’s Association has paid £3,500 in discounts for four months to its members, the purchasing public have had to pay 20 per cent, more for their goods to make up for the discounts the privileged members of the R.P.A. receive. The mere fact of the Railwaymen’s Purchasing Association being in operation for 27 years does not prove that it has not injured the other retailers who have gone out of business, and also increased the cost to the outside purchaser.—l am, etc., Efficiency. September 21. TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—“ 100 Per Cent. Patriot ” evades commenting on my statements of September 10 by stating that my information came to me from hearsay. That is not so, as the person I referred to who received a concession', on the range purchased from his firm happens to bo my father. Also I have spent five years in a wholesale and retail establishment, and know from personal experience as to the concessions granted- to members of the staff. Again, four years with a manufacturing concern provided me with blankets, underwear, and socks at reduced rates. These articles were purchased on the premises from a small shop which is opened during the lunch hour for the benefit of the employees. The worker with these kinds of concessions in addition to his wage is certainly much better off than the average railway worker. I would much rather receive concessions on the necessities of life than a free pass on the railway, which is of no value unless one is fortunate enough to be in a postiion to use it. As to the wages and conditions of the general labourer, under the local bodies’ award the lowest wage possible for these workers to receive is 2s 4d an hour, and on certain labouring work this amount is increased to 2s 4Jd, 3s sd, and 2s 5-jd. I ask “100 Per Cent. Patriot ” why is it that a surfaceman on the railway receives Jd an hour less than the lowest-paid general labourer? At the end of the week the difference in wages amounts to the price of 11b of butter. He also writes that “ there are hundreds of surfacemen who pay less than £1 a week for rent.” I would be most grateful to “ 100 Per Cent. Patriot ” if he could obtain for me one of these homes. If he cares to do the surfacemen a good turn let him publish his budget on how to keep a wife and children on £2 17s 8d a week. As to the resolutions passed by the A.S.R.S., does “ 100 Per Cent Patriot ” not know that unions throughout th© length and breadth of New Zealand have passed similar resolutions protesting against the inadequacy of a 5 per cent, increase in wages to cover a 10 per cent, increase in the cost of living,—l am, etc., Democrat. 1 September 28. [Subject to production of the budget asked for, this correspondence is now closed.—Ed. E.S.]