RAILWAY WORK

Hokitika Guardian, 15 July 1930, Page 3

RAILWAY WORK

RATIONING PLAN.

(By Telegraph—Press Association).

WELLINGTON, July 14

The position which has arisen in tlie railway service through the dismissals from the railway workshops, was considered at a special meeting of the Executive Council of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants. Consideration was given to Hon A. Veitch’s suggestion that a scheme of rationing might be introduced, whereby every- man in the scheme, from the General' Manager downwards, would giv’o • one week’s work without remuneration.

Meetings were also held of the Engine Drivers’ Firemen’s and Cleaners’ Association, the Railway Officers’ Institute, and the Railway Tradesmen’s Association, to discuss the rationing proposal. The Council of the' A.S.R.S. decided to confer with tlie representatives of the other railway organisations on the question of the rationing labour.

The scheme will be discussed with the Minister of Railways, when a statement will be made on behalf of the A.S.R.S. by the President ,Mr I. Churchoiise. The Council of the So>iefy is to meet again, to-mortrow. Messrs M. ; Connolly '(traffic representative), E. Morrison (locomotive workshops representative), E. Dash (permanent way men’s representative), and J. Fraser (representing the" way and works department, the electric lines and signal erectors) attended to-day’s A.S.R.S. Conference.

AUCKLAND RAILWAYMEN

DISCUSS PROPOSALS

\UCKLAND, July 14

The Auckland A.S.R.S. leaders are to meet to diV-’.is ; s the Minister’s week’s work without pay proposal. Air J. Elliott, chairman of the Ota-hu-hu and Newmarket divisions, stated the matter would be treated as one of the greatest urgency. Commenting on Mr Veitch’s proposal that a week’s wage should be sacrificed by • every man, from the general manager downwards, to lie paid in to the'fund to movent, any further dismissals. Mr Elliott said that special consideration should be given to the basic wage men. who were re-riving £4 8s a week and paying n« much as £1 a month, in sown i nstances." to the -superannuation fund, "’id had also to meet sick benefit, union, and' lodge fees. Further, some were keeping comparatively largo families and would probably be compelled to as’- the grocer and butcher and others to "orego their bills correspondingly for oiVe 'week.

As a leader of one of the largest branches of the A.S.R.S I . in New Zealand, Mr" Elliott made the constructive suggestion that if it was essential to curtail the expenditure of the Department, the. men would favour a scheme under which everyone in constant employment throughout the service should contribute to an unemployment- fund on a graduated scale according to salary.' For instance, if 6d a week were collected from all men in receipt of £250 a- year, Is from those with £3OO, and 6d additional for each increase of £SO upwards to the general manager, a sufficient fund would be accumulated from the 18,000 employees to enable the Department ,to find employment on at least several days a week for tlie men already dismissed. The hardship would thus be spread over the whole of the employees and would not be materially felt by any particular section. “It will be my duty as soon as the secretary of the A.S.R.S. receives written notification of the Minister’s proposals to submit them to the employees,” concluded Mi’ Elliott. “When we receive that, the question of consulting the men will be made a matter of extreme urgency.” CHRISTCHURCH, July 14.

A railway official stated:—“The opinion of the general division is that important changes will be made, especially in the higher , departments. It is thought that the district traffic manager will control each district instead of each Island superintendent. That is to be one of. the contentions to be placed before the conference.”