Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 16 Jul 1963

Vol. 204 No. 7

Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Staff at Dublin Telephone Exchanges.

56.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether additional staff have been provided at Dublin telephone exchanges within the past three months; and, if so, their numbers and grades.

Mr. Hilliard

The following additional operating staff has been recruited for Dublin trunk exchange since the 1st April, 1963 :— 14 telephonists (female); 18 male night telephonists; and eight part-time male night telephonists.

57.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the number of hours weekly that have to be worked by staff at Dublin telephone exchanges.

58.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs the wage rates of staff employed at Dublin telephone exchanges, and the number of persons in each grade.

Mr. Hilliard

I propose with your permission, A Cheann Comhairle, to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together. The reply to these is in the form of a tabular statement which again, with your permission, A Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report. I have assumed the staff the Deputy has in mind are telephone operating staff and their related supervising grades employed at the Central Trunk Exchange in Dublin.

STATEMENT showing number, wage rates and working week of telephone operating and related supervisory staff employed at the Central Trunk Exchange in Dublin.

Grade	Number in grade	Pay scale of the grade	Working week (gross hours)
Night Telephone Supervisor:
Class I	2	£760—£915 per annum	46
,,II	14	237s.—292s. per week	46
Male Night Telephonists	112	117s.—230s. (permanent staff)	46
		117s.—184s. (temporary staff)
Temporary Male Night Telephonists-in-Training	16	98s.—135s.	46
Part-time Male Night Telephonists	22	5s. 2d. per hour	various
Part-time Male Night Telephonists in Training	8	3s. 8½d. per hour	,,
Supervisor	2	£680—£755 per annum	46
Assistant Supervisor:
Class I	4	£615—£680 per annum	46
,,II	38	194s. 3d.—232s. 9d. per week	46
Telephonists	435	111s.—190s. per week (permanent staff)	46
		111s.—164s. per week (temporary staff)
Temporary Telephonists-in-Training	14	72s. 4d.—104s. 2d.	46

59.

Mr. Ryan

asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs whether there are any claims for improved working conditions on the part of staff at Dublin telephone exchanges; and, if so, if he will state the nature of such claims, when they were made, and when they will be dealt with.

Mr. Hilliard

I assume the staff the Deputy has in mind is telephone operating staff and related supervising grades employed at the Central Trunk Exchange in Dublin. A number of claims have been submitted by the Staff Side Panel to the Departmental Conciliation Council in respect of this staff and other members of the same grades. Particulars of the claims and the dates they were submitted are in the form of a tabular statement which, with your permission, a Cheann Comhairle, I propose to circulate with the Official Report. All these claims are under consideration but it is not possible to say when they will be disposed of.

Statement showing claims on behalf of telephone operating and related supervising staff under consideration by the Post Office Departmental Council.

Nature of Claim	Date Submitted
Claim for amendment of regulations governing night duty time allowance.	18th February, 1961.
Claim for revision of overtime rates	11th November, 1962.
Claim for revision of Sunday and Bank Holiday rates of pay	do.
Claim for payment of higher minimum attendance on Sundays	do.
Claim for double pay for Sunday duty by Male Night Telephonists	do.
Claim for upgrading two posts of Assistant Supervisor, Class II, in	20th January, 1963.
Central Telephone Exchange, Dublin.
Claim for increase in subsistence allowance	do.
Claim for increase in disturbance allowance for temporary staff	do.
Claim for promotion outlets to Post Office Clerk, Grade B, for Telephonists and Male Night Telephonists.	7th July, 1963.