DECISION GIVEN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26640, 10 December 1947, Page 6

DECISION GIVEN

RAILWAYS TRIBUNAL CLAIMS OF EMPLOYEES HOLIDAYS AND EXTRA PAY P.A. WELLINGTON, Dec. 9. The decisions of the Railways Industrial Tribunal, which dealt with 47 claims, have been announced. In many cases agreement was reached between the parties before reaching the tribunal. The main decisions are in connection with the request that Anniversary Day and the day after New Year be granted as departmental holidays. The tribunal granted employees, who can be spared, a day off duty on pay on Anniversary Day. Those required to remain on duty will be given a day off duty on pay at a later date. Second division employees are to be paid at double rates for time actually worked on holidays specified in the Holidays Act, 1946, and, in addition, will receive payment as for eight hours as at ordinary rates. This provision is modified to allow employees in certain circumstances the option of having a day off later by foregoing payment as for eight hoi rs at ordinary rates.

Allowances Granted

A transfer allowance not exceeding £25 is payable on production of receipts, or, alternatively, an allowance of £ls without production of receipts, in the case of employees transferring at the department’s expense. Travelling, relieving and night allowances are increased by 2s 6d a day or' night, as the case may be. Payment is granted at the rate of time and a-half for all time worked after midday on Saturday. Employees living in departmental huts and working gangs away from home are to be paid for travelling time up to eight hours for each return journey to their place of residence every four weeks, providing the employees are located more than 100 miles from their homes. There are additional classes of work for which “dirty work” payments are allowable. Hut allowances are increased from 4s 6d to 5s a night. Payment for travelling time by train crews is to be paid for at night rates when the crews travel as passengers. Payment For Meals

Meal allowances of 2s will be paid to workers and depot employees when working overtime for two or more hours, subject to a meal break of not less than half an hour being observed and the men being unable to go home for meals.

A tool allowance of 2s weekly is to be paid to bricklayers in the maintenance branch, and moulders, sheet metal workers, and electricians in the workshops. The marking-off allowance of 2d an hour has been increased to 3d.

Tradesmen welders are to receive an allowance of 2Jd an hour while welding at locomotive depots. The allowance of 4s 6d a day payable to the railways staff in the Lake Wakatipu steamer service has been increased to 5s a day. Previous service in the cases of traffic assistants, station agents, surfacemen, gangers, train examiners, guards, and locomotive running staff may be computed for increment purposes. The department agreed to the locomotive running staff being paid for “ dirty work ” and other work done at depots, subject to certain limitations regarding total pay. 1