EXTRA ALLOWANCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26627, 25 November 1947, Page 4

EXTRA ALLOWANCES

WORK OF DIRTY NATURE CLAIMS BEFORE RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL p.A. WELLINGTON, Nov. 24. During the sittings of the Government Railways Industrial Tribunal in February last, an understanding was reached whereby applications in\ relation to payment of allowances for work of more than an ordinarily dirty nature were deferred pending consideration of the report of a committee which it was agreed should be set up by the general manager of the railways, Mr J. Sawers, to investigate the operation of such allowances. This committee carried out a P°?M n l on ' wide investigation and submitted a report to the general manager. On the recommendation of this committee, the general manager yesterday submitted an application to the Railways Tribunal in respect of payment of allowances for work of more than an ordinarily dirty nature. Ihe tribunal comprised Mr W. F. Stilweh, S.M. (chairman), Mr E. Casey, and Mr E. A. Whillow. In submitting the general managers application, Mr N. L. Stevenson, for the Railways Department, said tne committee had recommended that tne rates for Class A should be 2 2 d an hour and for Class B ljd an hour. The committee had also recommended the following running shed allowances; Electric locomotive multiple unit ana railcar depots, 2Jd an hour; at steam locomotive running depots, 3 4 d an hour; work from outside of roofs, od an hour; work from inside of roots, 6d an hour. Mr Stevenson said the service oiganisation representatives on the committee considered that the existing practice of paying an allowance lot a minimum period of eight hours or for the duration of a shift where the shift was of less than eight houis should be continued. The departmental representatives considered that the principle should be adopted of payment from the time at which an employee commenced to perform work covered by the allowance until the completion of his shift, subject to payment for a ‘maximum period of eight hours and to a minimum allowance payment of 4d in respect of any shift during which the allowance was payable. The cost of the adjustments recommended by the committee was estimated at £16,000 a year compared with £39,400, which would have been required to meet the various claims originally submitted by the service organisations to the tribunal. If the modified basis of minimum payments recommended by the departmental representatives were adopted, the net increase in expenditure was estimated at £BOOO. , . Submitted counter proposals on behalf of the respondent, the New Zealand Railway Tradesmen’s Association, Mr T. F. Gebbie said any reduction of the eight hour minimum was stronly opposed and would be deeply resented by members. The sitting will be continued tomorrow. f