POSTAL DISPUTE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1924, Page 3

POSTAL DISPUTE

STATEMENT BY HON. COATES. WELLINGTON, -May 15. Following is it copy of a letter forwarded by the Hon. l’ostmastcr-Gon-eral to the Secretary of the New Zealand Dost and Telegraph Officers’ Association : i’ostmastcr General’s Office, Wellington, May 15th., 102-1. 'Fite Secretary, New Zealand Rost and Telegraph Officers’ Association. Sir,—ln reference to your letter of the Gth. inst., 1 have to inform you that when the now .schedules, covering the. Post and Telegraph Department "ere drawn up in 1010, an endeavour was made to provide salaries which Compared favourably with those paid by outside employers, and with the remuneration ol other Government employees. An enquiry made before the schedules were recently revised, showed that the present salaries are, in many instances, higher than those paid in outside employment. I consider that the schedules, as now drawn up. provide lor a lair and reasonable payment for the work which officers are called upon to do, and I believe that the salaries now proposed comapre fav-

ourably with those jiaid in private omploynient for work which can reasonably he compared with that done in the Department. The Governments’ proposals were placed before your organisation on the. 17th. ultimo, for comment, and. although your Association has commented on the schedules, orally, and at very considerable length in writing. I am unable to find in the statements any evidence to show that the salaries proposed hv the Government for clerks and telegraphists are not so generous as those paid to clerks outside, or that the proposed remuneration of linesmen, postmen, messengers, etc., is not as high as that paid to JH’l’siuis doing work of approximately equal importance in private employment. Apparently, your Association is not aware that the salaries proposed by it are considerably higher than those paid outside the Department. If the salaries proposed by your organisation for linesmen, postmen, messengers, etc., were agreed to, such men would lie in the very happy position of receiving higher salaries than those now paid to clerks employed in hanks, insurance and shipping offices, and the officers of tin* largest local bodies. It should l>e quite unnecessary for me to remind von that the work - done by the clerks I have referred to is worth more than the duties performed by the rank and file officers of the Genera! Division. Your Association’s proposals lor the Clerical Division also provide lor higher salaries for clerks and telegraphists than are being paid to rank and file elerAs employed by almost all the largest institutions ill the Dominion. 1 fail to understand why a postal clerk, in his eighth year of service, should receive upproxmalely £HIO per annum more than a hank clerk ol similar solvin'. or why the Departmental officers should he paid £llO to CI2I per annum more than a clerk in his eighth year of service in an insurance m shipping office. It is also not clear to mo why a postal officer after eight years training, is worth £l5O per annum more than clerks of equal training employed by some of the largest local bodies. 1 am aware that when these comparisons are made your Association replies that the clerks employed outside are grossly underpaid. It would cost, approximately £ 150,000 to bring the salaries and wages of the 0137 Dost and Telegraph employees up to the standard laid down |,v your Association. It would he interestin'' to know what amount would W re.,idled to bring the many thousands of other employees in the Dominion ’up to the same standard. At ,|,e risk «f rendition, let me emphasis that the Government’s proposals for increasing the salaries and wages of Departmental employees involve an additional expenditure of approximate!'. £l’).-, ('(>;> for the current financial yeai. r, is' claimed that remuneration msn.e the Depart . serially that ol 1i n rank and file, will compare fax mil. hi. with that paid "iltsidc. Ihe Association’s proposals would involve an additi.ma, expenditure of opp.ox.nia el> e. 150.00" for tins year, «"d """m l for considerably higher salaries for the rank and file than are pa d l(l rank and file clerks and 011.e.s > outside employment. 1 have ahead) informed v.m that 1 know ol no i« •>- V one section of employees : mid he granted very much largd n, of' salary than are likely he paid to any other Yoins fattldull). j <;. COATES.