STATE SERVANTS MAY HOLD STOPWORK MEETINGS

Grey River Argus, 13 October 1948, Page 4

STATE SERVANTS MAY HOLD STOPWORK MEETINGS

Wages Tribunal Now Wanted

P.A. WELLINGTON, Oct. 12 Over 2000 employees of the Wellington section of the Public Ser vice C Deluding Post Office and Railway employees) assembled at the Town Hall to-night to protest against and discuss sa ja r y a nd wage conditions existing m the Public SeiV 1 After speakers from the floor had stated the views of the va r^ a banches of the service, the national president of the New Zealand Public Service Association, Mr J. P. Lewin, gave the history of the break-down of the Margins and Anomalies Committee, and discussed, in detai., the position as it was at present, and possible remedies. Three decisions were reached. One expressed strong dissatisfaction at the failure of the Government to increase public service salaries to meet the rise in the cost of living and urged the national executive of the association to press the Government to give immediate effect to the resolution of the Wellington section, which called for automatic promotion to £485 per annum in the clerical division, with commensurate increases for all other sections of the service. Following a report by Mr Lewin of the non-co-operative attitude of representatives of the administration on the Margins and Anomalies Committee, the meeting called on the executive of the association to make an immediate approach to the Government to secure a satisfactory decision. The meeting affirmed that the only effective method of dealing with the economic claims of public servants was an independent tribunal as requested by the 1947 and 1948 conferences of the association, and they asked that the executive approach the Government to secure its establishment immediately. The meeting pledged its full support to the executive of the association in its campaign to obtain satisfactory salary rates and full payment, by all departments, of adequate overtime and penal rates for work done outside normal working hours.

In furtherance of this campaign, the meeting requested that similar meetings to that one be arranged throughout the Dominion, if, if found necessary, other State service organisations be asked to co-operate. A suggestion that if action was not forthcoming following these decisions. a stop-work meeting should be held, met with instant approval from those present.