asked the Minister for Education if he will state (a) the weekly wage of attendants at the National Museum; (b) the overtime rate paid, and (c) if he is aware that there is considerable discontent amongst the attendants both in respect of their wages and working conditions.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Attendants at the National Museum.
(1) I am not aware that there is discontent among the attendants in respect of their wages or of their working conditions.
(2) The present scales, which from the 29th May, 1948, have been supplemented by 11/- a week on every point on the scale, are as follows:—
Established Attendants:
89/9—92/11—96/-.
98/4—100/7—102/10.
105/3—108/- —110/7.
Unestablished Attendants:
|
Scale (1) |
77/2—79/3—81/4. |
|
83/5—95/6—97/8. |
|
|
Scale (2) |
70/-—2/6—82/6. |
From the 1st April, 1949, scale (2) above will be abolished.
(3) In regard to overtime, certain attendants are required by the conditions of their appointment to undertake Sunday duty and night duty. Among these both the established and unestablished attendants perform Sunday duty, and the night duty is confined to the unestablished attendants.
Extra rates are paid as follows where such duties are performed:—
Sunday duty (a period of three or four hours): Established attendants—A flat payment of 12/-; and 14/- to the senior officer in charge. Unestablished attendants—A flat payment of 10/6.
Night duty (a period of eight hours; i.e., from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.): Unestablished attendants—A flat payment of 9/6.
Does the Minister consider a rate of 1/2 per hour for night duty, compulsorily done by these unestablished attendants, a fair rate of remuneration?
Obviously he does, or he would not approve of it.
I do not know if the Deputy is aware that the night duty provided for here consists of just sleeping in the museum at night so as to be in attendance to assist the fireman in case there is a fire.
Is the Minister aware that these men have to turn in and perform their ordinary duty on the following day—and they are paid at a rate of 1/2 an hour? I may inform the Minister that there is considerable discontent amongst these unestablished attendants.
I should like the Deputy to understand, firstly, that no notification has been made in any way officially and, secondly, that as far as performing these duties after night duty is concerned, the understanding is that a man who is on this duty gets as good a night's sleep in the museum as he would get at home.