asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will consider establishing those former members of the Defence Forces who were recruited through the labour exchange to fill vacancies in his Department as temporary clerks and temporary postmen in 1946; whether he is aware that the wages paid to these men are not sufficient to meet the high costs of living, that their hours of work are irregular, that they perform most of the duties of established officers, receive no half-day per week, get no night duty allowance and do not receive their annual holidays until the late autumn or early winter; and, if so, whether he will also consider these grievances.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Temporary Postal Workers.
Temporary officers can be made established only through the medium of limited competitions held from time to time. One such competition for temporary postmen was held in August, 1947, and another is being held next month. On this matter of establishment by competition, I would refer the Deputy to the full explanation I gave in reply to a similar question of his on 10th March, 1948.
The wages of temporary clerks and postmen have been increased in conjunction with those in other Departmental grades; their working conditions are those applied generally to temporary staff of the same class employed throughout the Department, and they cannot be treated exceptionally. In respect of night duty, temporary staff receive exactly the same time allowance as established staff.