EFFECT OF REPORT.

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1924, Page 4

EFFECT OF REPORT.

TRAFFIC K.A!l’l.llA'F.FS SFFFKR MOST. AYKI.I.IXHTOX. Sept. T>. AVIml have the lailwaymen lost or •.'.‘lined tluouph the reference of their el.aims to the retent trihimal. The majority report 'accepted liv the Dovernment does not show this, hut it can he explained hrielly. The traffic rnnninp M'eticn lias suffered the prentest ln>s in pay and privileges. The iiiitstundinp loss nl the men tliroiiph the strike is the ctplitlintli day. and tJtev do lint pet this hack. As thinp's stand the Railway Department has a more elastf methoil of arrunpinp shifts id its rtuiuiup stali. it may work them up to ten hours in any one day without payment of overtime, and may work this time dnriiip iinv of I is •• hours id the twenlyfoisr. Formerly time worked het ween la p.m. and :’> a.in. was paid for at rate and a ipiaiter. This eiet the department in Ifll’A a stun of £1.11.17m hoi the niplit rate now disanpears. However, the hoard lias piveti the men sum" concession awardinp rat" and a half for time worked in cm-o-s of ten hours, it provides, however, that if tlie men work more than toityeiplit hours in the week they will not he paid overtime on any oviutime already worked. It is helieved hv tie's" who under-

stand railway workinp (onditious that the department will he so able to adjust shills its to larp.eiy .avoid payment in overtime on the day’s work. SFXDAYS AM) iIOI.IDAYS.

The ileparLmeiit has set tired an important reiliietioii in costs hv tin- majortiv dei ision of the hoiird that double time is not to he paid for Sunday hours worked in (ommein itip or linishinp a shift. This Sunday time will he paid at rate and a-half.

Dominion Day lias been removed from the schedule of departmental holidays. The department thus avoids paying double time. It has also secured a reduction in costs on ordinary holiday workinp by the provision that men so employed may elect to he paid at ordinary rat" for actual time worked, and haviiip one day added to their annual leave, or. as an alternative, to receive a minimum of six hours’ employment at double rates without any addition to their aimnel leave. Formerly men pot double time and an additional day’s leave for work on statutory holidays. TABI.F.T i’DRTKRS Ai- I'IM TF.D. Niplit rates for tablet p-irters are M o V. it lidrawn. These men have worked forty-eipht and I'll’tv-six hours accordin'.' t i l lie class i f station. AA licit the let ly-eipht hour week cam l into f..»•«._•. thi.il' hours were not callable of extension. and ile-y did not p:iiti'ipate in lh" additional 7- '-Id weekly paid on the a.verap" to men whoso week was extended frmi forty-four to fortydebt hours. They ei“‘ in fut'li'' to I " Jiaiil oviutine- laps at rate and c.-halt for v.ck in of forty-ei'dit ' I' lift v-‘ix hours. Tin* withdrawal of ni >hl rate, tor this class ol employee, , arninp tli" basic rate will niaaii a reduction in pav. especially to a hope number of tablet porters who ohlainod the niphl rale in eon licet ion with tli" Am-klaml-AVi llinploii express M-hedidcs. V hieh involve a pood deal of niplit rnnNO STAFF DIS.ADSSADS. The full elfeet of the ehanp-s ft'llowinp the strike and \A apes Roald s decisions will not h" immediately evident in the Railway Dopnrtmoiit’s wape hill, as it was ol.lipeil to pay 7s 2d weekly to each employe all'ecte l l.y the fortyeipht hours week extension. It imme-

diately saves £500;) annually by the abolition ot the niplit rate, lint tin* savinp due t> the extended week will only pradttally piv financial henelit. owinp to the tludertnkiup not to dispense with the staff. The uvernpc niiniher of rcsipnntiniis and dismissal-' from the service annually is about 10'Kl and the Denartinent is fullnwinp the policy of not niakinp pood any such deficiencies in the stali’. This plan assisted by the natural prmvth of traffic, which would in the ordinary course involve additional hands, will within a year eiial.de the full benefit of the fortyeipht hour week to he secured hv the administration- To have secured immediate financial henelit from the forty-eipht. hour week would have nolessitatod the dismissal of 10A) to 12'K) employees.