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It is understood that the Department will instruct its respective foremen and leading hands to exorcise a reasonable discretion in fixing the hours of work so as to enable employees to obtain the full benefit. of this provision." This recommendation of the majority of the Board is of little practical value. The men concerned are employed away from their headquarters continuously, and only reach their homes fortnightly, and sometimes once a month, the time going to and from their work being lost to them unless it is possible for them to work such time up in order to enable them to go home. These men have no homo life whatever, and are, in our opinion, entitled to some further consideration. We therefore recommend that they be paid travelling-time one way —that is to say, that the time lost going to and from their work shall be borne equally by the men and the Department. Society's Claim No. 8 : That gangers and surfacemen in the Maintenance department be paid from trolly-stand to trolly-stand. This claim is covered in our remarks on claim 1. Society's Claim No. 10 : That shunting-gangs in large yards be composed of not less than three classified shunters. A majority of the Board in this case decided that it had no recommendation to make. We are of the opinion that this claim should be conceded. Men engaged in the operation of shunting, particularly in large yards, run the greatest possible risk, and almost weekly our daily papers record the death by accident of some member of the Railway service whilst engaged in shunting operations. In large yards gangs consist of throe or more men, and we are unable to discriminate between them so far as risk is concerned, and for that reason we are of the opinion that these men should be classified and paid as shunters. Society's Claim No. 11 : That where there are three men or less continuously employed in shunting operations they be classified as shunters and paid accordingly. A majority of the Board in this case has no recommendation to make. Our remarks with reference to claim No. 10 apply here also. Society's Claim No. 12 : That Regulation 107 be amended to provide for payment of rate and one-half for all time worked between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., such penal rale not to be taken into consideration when computing the guaranteed week's pay. A majority of the Board has no recommendation to make. This matter is dealt with under heading of Claim 1, which has been treated comprehensively so as to embrace hours, night rates, and overtime. We, however, are not prepared to recommend the claim as it stands, but are of the opinion that these men should be paid rate and a quarter on the schedule rates of pay between hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., and that the penal rate of one-quarter should not be taken into consideration in computing the guaranteed week's pay. Society's Claim No. 13 : That, Regulation 113 be amended to provide for payment of lime and one-half for all time worked in excess of eight hours between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., such penal rate not lo be taken into consideration when computing the guaranteed week's pay. A majority of the Board has no recommendation to make. Whilst we are not prepared to recommend the claim as it stands, we are of the opinion that the claim should be granted with the following exception—that the words " time and a half " be altered to read " time and a quarter." Society's Claim No. 15 : That tablet-porters be paid for overtime on the same basis as all other members of the Second Division of the Railway Service. A majority of the Board has no recommendation to make. We, however, are of the opinion that there should fie no distinction as between tablet-porters and any other branch of the Railway service. ' The position at the present time in regard to these men is that they work forty-eight and fifty-six hours per week respectively. Any time in excess of these hours is given off duty when it is convenient for the Department to do so. This is done by sending a man to relieve the member concerned, and in many instances involves the payment of night allowance to the relieving officer. In our opinion it would be a saving to the Department to pay the man who has actually earned the overtime instead of sending a man to relieve him. Society's Claim No. 17 : Regulation 114: That where a member is finishing or commencing a shift on Sunday such member be paid a minimum of four hours at Sunday rales for any time worked less than four hours. Sunday lime in all cases to stand by itself, and not lo be taken into consideration when computing the guaranteed week's pay. A majority of the Board has no recommendation to make. Whilst we cannot recommend the claim as it stands, we are of the opinion that a minimum of four hours at Sunday rates should be paid for any shift commencing on Sunday, and that all time between 12 o'clock on Saturday night and 12 o'clock on Sunday night should stand by itself, and not be taken into consideration when computing the guaranteed week's pay. This we consider to be fair, because the time running into Sunday on the completion of a shift cannot be avoided, whereas, on the other hand, the commencing of a shift can.

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