RAILWAY SERVANTS.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 473, 21 May 1890, Page 4

RAILWAY SERVANTS.

THREATENED STRIKE. MEN LIKELY TO GO OUT ON SUNDAY. THE COMMISSIONERS AND THE SOCIETY. (BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.) Wellington, this day. An agitation has been going on among the railway employees for some time paeb f which threatens to culminate in a general strike. In fact, there is an uneasy feeling that the men will possibly go out on Sunday. The following circular has been telegraphed by the Railway Commissioners to their staff: “The Railway Commissioners have just learned that a society formed of the Government railway employees and others, the executive of which has recently been in communication with the Commissioners, is organising a strike, and using its organisation to come between the Commissioners and the employees. The executive have declined to promote a meeting between the representative employees and the Commissioners. The Commissioners desire that if the employees have grievances they should appoint delegates from among themselves to meet them and discuss the questions. They warned the employees against acting on the orders of the executive of the society without first meeting the Commissioners, openly and fairly, stating and discussing any matters they feel aggrieved at. The Commissioners are desirous of meeting the employees in a fair and liberal spirit.” The following statement by the Commissioners has been placed at the disposal of the Press AssociationA correspondence has been and is still going on between the Secretary of tho Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants and che Railway Commissiomfs about a meeting between tho Commissioners and the representatives of the railway servants to discuss any grievances that may exist. The Commissioners have offered every facility in their power to induce the meeting, bub as yet without success. It now appears that simultaneously with this correspondence, tho Secretary of the Society had asked the railway servants to empower its Executive Committee to call out the men on strike should the demand about boy labour, long hours, readjustment of wages, and piecework, nob be conceded. As to boy labour, out of a total staff of 4,200 there are only about 600 boys and young men, between the age of 14 and 21 years, including apprentices, and lads are only taken on in sufficient numbers to train for vacancies arising from resignations, deaths, etc. No boy labour has ever been taken on to supersede men. Long hours allowances are made for overtime eithor by extra pay or time off.” The following correspondence has passed between the Railway Commissioners and the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants:—

Amalgamated Society Railway Servants, Central Office, Hereford-street, Christchurch, March 29, 1890. To Hon. Commissioners of Railways for New Zealand.— Gentlemen,—ln accordance with resolutions passed at a late Conferenceof delegates from tho various branches of the abovenamed society, the Executive Committee respectfully beg to bring under your notice the following facts in connection with railway employees, and to Bubmit to your favourable consideration proposals bearing thereon, namely:—

Boy Labour. —The Executive Committee would draw your attention to the fact that the excessive employment of boys and youths under 21 years of age as apprentices, and unskilled labour, will necessarily prevent adults from finding that amount of employment which is essential to the wellbeing of the community. It will gradually but surely reduce wages, and throw a number of men who are now employed on the railways out of work. To obviate the possibility of such a result, the Committee are compelled to ask that you will limit the proportion of boy labour to adult labour on the following scale:—Apprentices for all kinds of mechanics and artisans, except boilermakers, one apprentice to. each department or shop, and an additional apprentice for every four journeymen employed ; for boilermakers, one apprentice and one rivet beater for every four journeymen employed, and that in no case more than one improver to every four journeymen employed in any one department or / shop; unskilled labour, one boy or youth under 21 years of age to every four men employed at full wages, this to apply to porters, shunters, platelayers, workshop labourers, goods shed men, and all other unskilled labour employed on the New Zealand railways, of course excepting enginecleaners, regarding whom the Committee would impress upon you the fact of the unhealthy nature of the employment, and request you to so fix the age at which they are employed as to reduce the risk of their general health being impaired, to a minimum. The Committee also wish to direct your attention to the fact that it is desirable to prohibit any person from doing any shunting unless he ha 3 been three years in the service, and is over twenty-one years of age. Cadets. —lt is deemed necessary that there shall not be a greater number of cadets in the service at any time than one to every three station-masters and clerks, and that any person having served five years as cadet shall be rated as clerk, and receive his yearly increase of salary accordingly. Hours of Labour.— ln accordance with the resolution passed at the Conference, the Executive Committee would respectfully point out that the hours of labour per diem in some departments are extremely excessive, such as engine-drivers, firemen, guards, porters, shunters, signalmen, and others, some of whom are working (14) fourteen, (16) sixteen, and even (18) eighteen hours per day, without adequate remuneration. As this is highly injurious, morally and physically, to those so employed, and not at all conducive to the safety of the travelling public, it is deemed necessary to submit the following proposals for your approval:—That no employee on the New Zealand railwaye shall work more than (8) eight hours der diem, or forty eight (48) hours per week, excepting where absolutely necessary, and that all time worked over such forty-eight hours in anyone week shall be paid for at overtime rates, time and a quarter for the first four hours over and above the eight worked in one day, time and a half for all time worked over and above that, and time and a half for Sunday work, providing always that no overtime shall be paid for time worked in excess of eight hours in any one day, unless the whole time for the week amounts to more than fortyeight hours.'; The Committee are anxious to impress you with the necessity of this reform, and also with the desirability of employing additional labour when required instead of compelling men to work long hours at overtime rates, and that no one should be called upon to resume duty, after the day’s work unless he? has had an inter- j

val of at least eight hours off, except in case of urgent necessity. Piecework.— This pernicious system is universally condemned by all classes of workmen as one that is sure to reduce tho price of labour. It has a demoralising effect upon thoso engaged in it, and must bring the worst side of human nature to the surface. The committee do not deem it necessary to go into any farther details on this matter, as the effects of piecework are thoroughly comprehended by both employers and employees, but will 'request you very earnestly to abolish tho system at once. Ak it is of the utmost importance toemployees, and most essential to the improvement of their social condition, that the foregoing proposals should be carried into effect at as early a date as possible, the Committee trust that you will take the matter into your earnest and favourable consideration at once. Thoy sincerely trust that you will sea your way clear to comply with the request of your servants, employees of the New Zealand railways, as conveyed to you through thoir Executive Committee. Hoping the favour of an early reply, —l have, etc., Charles J. Rae, Treasurer and Acting Gen. Sec. pro tenu

21st April, 1890.—Sir, —With reference to your letter of 29th ult., representing certain matters to the Railway Commissioners on behalf of the railway employees, the receipt of which was acknowledged on 2nd instant, l am now directed to inform you, in reply, that the employees have a right to represent their views and grievances generally to the Commissioners, either individually or collectively, under proper conditions, at present. The Commissioners from your letter infer that the employees, or some of them, have formed a society for the purpose of making know their views generally to the Commissioners, and the Commissioners think. it may be found thab’~there is no objection to such a course. At present, however, they have no information as to who constitute the Society. The views of the Commissioners are as follows : They have no objection to offer to the organisation of a society upon proper lines, and are prepared to facilitate the movement under certain conditions. Such Society should bo formed exclusively of railway employees. It should be open for all employees to join or withdraw from it under reasonable regulation. It should not interfere with the privileges of individual employees, or prevent them from addressing the Commissioners about their individual interests, as is now provided. Before the Commissioners could undertake to treat with the Society of recognise it, particulars of the purposes of the Society and of its regulations should be supplied, and full information should be given, to indicate the extent, strength, and organisation of the Society, and to show that the Executive Committee has reasonable powers to act on behalf of the members collectively. The Commissioners are prepared to facilitate a meeting of the representative members of the employees in Wellington, by passes and leave, to enable them to discuss their suggestions, and should the employees be disposed to fall in with their views the Commissioners will then be prepared to consider such general representations as their executive committee may make.—l have, etc., E. G. Pilcher, Secretary, To Secretary Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants.

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand, Christchurch, 21st April, 1890.—T0 the Hon. Commissioner# for Railways, New Zealand. Gentlemen, —I am instructed by my committee to forward, for your information, the following copy of resolution passed at a meeting of the said committee on Tuesday evening, 15th insb.—“Thabthesecretary write to tbs Commissioners pointing to them the fact that, notwithstanding the letter recently sent to them by the executive re boy labour, a large number of boys are still being taken on at Invercargill and other places, and to request them not to add to the number of boys already employed until they have finally disposed of the question as submitted to them by this committee.” In the interests not only of the employees, bub of the colony at large, the Executive Committee most respectfully, by leave, urge upon you the great desirability of attending to this matter at once, and to request you to give a definite assurance that the matter is under consideration, and that no more boys will be taken on in the meantime, otherwise the Committee will have to adopt more efficient means to procure for the unanimous wish of the whole of the railway servants that consideration which the question undoubtedly deserves.—l have, etc., Charles J. Rae,

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand. Christchurch, 29th April, 1890. To Hon. Commissioners of Railways for New Zealand. Gentlemen,— Under instructions from the Executive Committee I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, dated 21st instant. Replying to the paragraphs of your letter seriatim , I am instructed most respectfully to say that the conditions under which the individual employees have at present to approach the Commissioners is not considered satisfactory. Paragraph 2 concludes with these wordß: “At preseut, however, they (the Commissioners) have no information as to who constitute the Society.” I must beg here to apologise for nob having forwarded a copy of the rules of the Society at an earlier date, but I was desirous of sending them in book form. A proof copy was, however, posted on Saturday, 26th inst. You will perceive that most of the conditionslaid down as the views of Commissioners are embodied in the rules of the Society. I am in a position to state that the entire muster roll of the Society exceeds 4,000. As the enrolment of new members is continually going on, I am justified in saying that this is well within the actual figures. The first branch of the Society was formed at Auckland about three and a-half years ago, and the Canterbury branch was inaugurated on October 13th, 1889. Branches have also been established in the following places *— Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin, Invercargill, Westport, Greymoutb, Nelson, Picton, and Napier, and the executive have under consideration the issue of dispensations for the opening of othor branches. The Executive Committee desire to state most emphatically that they have no desire to place themselves in antagonism to the views and wishes of the Commissioners, so long as the jusb claims of employees are considered, and the Executive Committee are fully sensible of the grave responsibility of their position, and are prepared to accept it. Accompanying this I am instructed to forward a letter written on the evening of the 21st inst., which would have been posted to you before the receipt of yours of the same date but for my unavoidable absence through illness. The committee also desire to thank you for the facilities you have kindly offered to afford representatives of the Society should the committee decide that a personal interview is desirable, in which case they will place themselves in communication. with you to appoint thg

time and place. You will please find herewith a copy of the by-laws of the Canterbury branch, of which I am secretary. Should you require any further information I shall be most happy, under instructions from the executive, to furnish you with the same. —I am, etc., J. Rae.

Sir,—l have the honour, by direction of the Railway Commissioners, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th April, with which I also received your previous letter dated *2lst April, together with a copy of the general rules of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand. The Railway Commissioners have perused the regulations, and think that for the most part they are reasonable and proper, but in some respects they are not appropriate for official recognition, having regard to the fact that railway servants are employed under the provisions of tho Government Railways Act, 1887, by which Act also the duties of the Commissioners are regulated. The Society appears to admit honorary members, not necessarily railway servants, who would not be amenable to the Government Railways Act, 1887, nor in any way responsible for the economical conduct of the public . services. Thus in many respects the operations of the Society might nob be in keeping with either the spirit or letter of the Act passed by the Legislature for the conduct of the railway service. The Railway Commissioners are, therefore, of opinion that the railway servants on whose behalf you are engaged to write should send representative members, who are themselves railway servants, to Wellington, who can fully set forth and discuss such matters as they desire. The Railway Commissioners will give careful consideration to any representations they make, and will, as previously indicated to you, facilitate such meeting upon application to do so. In any case the matters you have referred to will receive careful consideration from tho Commissioners. —I have, etc., E. G. Pilcher, Secretary.

Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants, May 8, 1890. Commissioners, New Zealand Railways, Wellington. Sirs,—l have the honour, by instructions of the Executive of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand, to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of May 3rd (No. 1726). In reply, I beg to inform you that the Society is formed for the purpose of protecting the interests and bettering the condition of all classes of railway servants in New Zealand, irrespective of any Act of Parliament. Taking for granted that the Act of 1887 regulates the duties of the Commissioners, then it is evident, judging by the facts, that that Act pi oxides for the introduction of excessive boy labour, to the terrible risk of railwayman and the general public; it provides for an indirect reduction of wages, and it must bo apparent that a reduction of wages in so large a Government Department will act also as a precedent in reducing wages generally throughout the colony ; it provides for the iniquitous system of piecework, even to the disgraceful extent of compelling men on day wages to work with those who are given labour on piecework ; it provides for maintaining of excessively long hours of labour, and non-payment for overtime, utter disregard to an. impartial and just system of promotion, illegal extortions of the hard-earned wages of railwaymen in the name of “ finesit provides, in short, for the demoralisation of the service, and as the object of the Society is to abolish these things, and bring about a better condition of the service for the humanity employed in railway working, its operations must to a certain extent be contrary to tho spirit of the Act of 1887, in so far as that Act affects the social condition of the employees. Honorary members are admitted into the Society, but have no.vote upon any question whatever with regard to the Society. Although such would not be amenable to the Government Railway Acts, 1887, in such a way as an ordinary railway employee ought to be, yob the majority of honorary members of this Society are directly responsible for the economical conduct of public services upon just and fair lines, in that they, are members of the House of Representatives. Relative to the suggestion that a conference of representatives of the Society (themselves being railway servants) should meet : in Wellington, I have to state that the Executive Council does not see the necessity of such special conference in the face of the general conference held in February last, and again to be held in February, 1891 (at Auckland). No reply having been so far received to the communication dated from here March 29fch last, dealing with the question of boy labour, apprentices, unskilled labour, cadets, hours of labour, piece work, etc., together with the communication of April 21sb, I have the honour to ask that these communications be replied to definitely by the 18th of the present month.— I am, etc., W. J. Edwards, General Secretary A.S.R.S. Sir,—l have the honour, by direction of the New Zealand Railway Commissioners, to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of Bth May in further reference to the constitution and objects of the Amalgamated. Society of Railway Servants, and am desired to express regret that the suggestion made in my previous letters of 21st April and 3rd May, to send representative members of railway service to Wellington to discuss with the Commissioners personally such matters as it desired to bring forward, has not met with the concurrence of your Executive.—l am, etc., E. G. Pilcher, Secretary, To the General Secretary Amalgamated Society of Railway Servante, Christchurch.

Christchurch, May 15.

Mr H. J. Edwards, General Secretary of the Railway Servants’ Society of New Zealand, states with regard to the rumour of a strike on Sunday that it must be without foundation. Before a strike can take place the grievances must, according to the Society’s rules, be submitted to the arbitration of persons appointed by the Railway Commissioners and Society conjointly. In the event.of arbitration failing, the Executive have to vote and get a threefourths’ majority of all members of the Union in favour of striking. Anticipating trouble in regard to the redress of the • grievance now being referred to the Commissioners, the executive are taking a vote of the members to ascertain if they would bo prepared to support extreme measures in case all other means fail. It will require at least a fortnight to finish taking this vote. If the vote is favourable by threefourths’ majority to extreme measures, the ? executive will have to satisfy themselves that arbitration or other pacific means of settling the difficulty have failed; if so they will be able to call out all or a portion of the members without taking a further general vote. The executive are taking a vote merely to strengthen their position, and have not the least idea that a strike will take place. ' i ...ir .1* appears from an examination of the -. letter-book of the Railway Society that the executive asked for a. definite reply to the < • • communication of March 20th, detailing the grievances, The request was for a definite

1 reply by May 18th. As the 18th is. Sunday j next, it is supposed that the Commissioners I have feared that this date is fixed for a strike.