THE RAILWAYMEN

Hokitika Guardian, 24 March 1920, Page 3

THE RAILWAYMEN

(Christchurch Press). We reprint to-day from one of the Wellington papers a statement by Mr M. J. Mack, the general secretary of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, relative to the position of the railwaymen. Mr -Mack’s statement is for the most part- irrelevant to the real

issue between the men and the Government, and we must therefore remind the public of the broad facts of the case. A year ago the Government, as the result of conferences between the j Department and the A.S.R.S., agreed !to grant a permanent increase in the I basic wage, which was- £2 14s before i the war. This was increased to £3 12s [ and it was agreed that further increases should be made later if such increases were necessary to offset the increase in the cost of living. Mr JusticeStringer investigated the- whole question, and he recommended an increase of 6s a week, which does, as a matter of fact, compensate for the higher prices. The representatives of the men have not hitherto attempted to controvert these facts.

Mr Mack ignores them in his statement, and contents himself with urging—on the main question—that the j wages of the railwayman generally are lower than those of tradesmen outside J the service, that the life of a railwayman is a trying one, and that the men are being worn out by excessive work. . That many workmen are receiving , higher wages than many railwaymen is i probably true, hut the generally high wages that labour receives at present are due to a sortage of labour, and a keen demand by employers Mr Justice Stringer noted this fact in his report to the Government, and he pointed out that, apart from the special advantages enjoyed by railwaymen, which are not available to men in private employment, the continuance of the high rates of wages outside the service cannot he relied upon. Cases may he cited of railwaymen who have resigned from the service to secure better-paid jobs outside, but these eases do not l>v any means justify the present attitude of the men. They could use these cases as a foundation for their demands only if they could show that every railwayman could 1 Hitter his position by leaving the service. While Mr Mack does not satisfy the desire of the public for some reasoned defence of the rejection of Mr Justice Stringer’s recommendations he makes certain statements which call for a reply on the part of the Government. Ilb declares that crossing-keepers, bridge-keepers and nightwatchmen are being paid less than they are entitled to under the Act and that guards who are entitled to receive 15s a day are not receiving it. These are points that do not affect the main question, but the public will expect, them to be cleared up. In the meantime it is stated that arrangements are being made for a ballot of the men to decide whether there shall be a strike. The public has had a high opinion of the good sense and loyal spirit of the railwaymen, and it is even now sufficiently sympathetic towards them to believe that they honestly regard their grievances as very serious. But wo have ■seen no justification of their presentattitude and as matters stand sober citizens have no choice but to prepare to support the Government if the unwise threat of a strike is unhappily carried into execution.