asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the minimum salary at present payable to sub-postmasters in non-money order and non-telegraph post offices and the services required to be given in return.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sub-Postmasters' Salaries.
18.
The minimum salary at present prescribed for sub-postmasters in the smallest type of non-money order, non-telegraph sub-office is £80 9s. 0d. per annum. For this minimum salary a sub-postmaster would handle letters and parcels, sell stamps, postal orders, dog licences and wireless licences and repay postal orders. In practice, however, a telephone call office and social welfare payment facilities are provided in practically all sub-offices and extra payment is made for these services. Accordingly, at the 17 sub-offices, where the amount of business transacted is so small that the minimum salary would normally apply, the actual salaries including payments for additional services range from £86 10s. 0d. to £104 5s. 0d.
Is it a fact that sub-postmasters must provide premises, heat, fuel and light for this sum of £80 per year?
In most cases, in fact, in all cases, they offered the house they live in. The family operate the sub-office services and applications for each of these offices are dealt with on this basis. The persons concerned accept the office on that basis also. The fact is, of course, that they are not dependent on the salary they get as sub-postmasters for their living. They use this money as an addition to supplement their own income.
They are on duty for 12 hours of the day. Does the Minister think it right that slave labour should be employed to handle public moneys at this maximum salary of £80—almost as much as is paid to the old age pensioner?
There is no question of slave labour attached to this matter at all. The salaries are fixed by conciliation between the representatives of the sub-postmasters and the Department. The volume of business transacted in the office is a factor that is taken into consideration when the pay for sub-postmasters is being fixed. There are additions for other services. The salaries of sub-postmasters range from that figure of £80 to over £1,000 per year in some cases.
Are the hours of employment taken into account?
Would the Minister describe the conciliation machinery he referred to?
I am not asked that in the question. It is a separate question. The Deputy knows as much about the conciliation machinery as I do.
Why did you not do something about the matter yourselves?
That is not an answer to the question.
If everybody wants to ask a question on this, it can go on forever.
Would the Minister not consider making available to the sub-postmasters the arbitration and conciliation machinery that is available to every other civil servant?
Sin ceist eile.
That is a separate question.
Does the Minister think they are well enough paid at £80?
I do not think anything of the kind.
Why not increase the salary then?
The fact is that the salary is based on the amount of work done in these offices.
Not on the working hours?
The amount of work is very little.
When did this conciliation body meet last?
That is another question entirely.
Did it meet recently?
I think it is meeting at present.