POSTAL SERVICES

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1930, Page 5

POSTAL SERVICES

PROTEST BY ASSOCIATION.

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

HAMILTON, May 19.

Strong protest against the attitude of the Government concerning civil servants salaries were expressed at a largely attended meeting of Waikato-King Country section of the Post and Telegraph employees Association on Saturday night. The President W. F. Kent Johnston said there were no tangible results from recent interviews with Mr Forbes. The equity of the Association’s case has not been, and would not be challenged. J. A. McKenzie (general secretary of

the Association) criticised the Departmental Secretary whose attitude/ could not be ascertained.

Following advice not to approach Parliament, the Association has asked the Secretary if he was prepared to assist in securing the long overdue improvement. All the Secretary did was vaguely to hint at obstales, adroitly evading stating the position. When asked to state the obstacles and why the Assocition was not favoured with a direct reply, the Secretary said the Association made the error of thinking the Government would negotiate on matters, whereas all that was conceded was that the representations would he considered. The Association was forced to the conviction that the only way to secure fair and impartial consideration was by the introduction of arbitration. P. and T. employees served the community as a whole efficiently and without political consideration. It was only fair that the question of their remuneration should be considered dispassionately free from part influences. Mr McKenzie emphasised the fact that the schedule of improvement recently published although interpreted by many to mean a settling of .the main grievance of the service, affected progressive juniors on one side of the Department only, leaving entirely untouched the bulk of service with domestic responsibilities. The maximum sn! nries paid lower (grades remained unaltered, despite successive regrading of the higher officials.