asked the Minister for Industry and Commerce whether he is aware of the great hardship on a number of men belonging to the permanent way department, Sligo and Cavan Lines, Great Southern Railways, who have been transferred from their homes, some a distance of fifty miles, to take the place of men of shorter service, and whether the Minister is aware that some of these transferred men were threatened and had to return home, and thereby lose their jobs; and if he will make representation to the Railway Company to have inquiries made in these cases, with a view to having these men declared redundant and compensated for the loss of their positions, as some of these men have almost 20 years' service.
ORAL ANSWERS. - RAILWAY-WORKERS' RIGHT TO COMPENSATION.
I am informed by the Great Southern Railways Company that these transfers, which are not confined to the Sligo and Cavan Sections of the Great Southern Company, arise through the Company's action in extending the length of road in charge of each gang, with the result that one man is dispensed with out of every two or three gangs. This course is being followed in order to effect economies which are urgently needed, and does not arise as a result of amalgamation, so that the Company contends the terms of the Railways Acts do not apply.
The displaced men are being offered work wherever there is a vacancy. Every case is being dealt with sympathetically on its merits, and as far as possible hardship is avoided, but some hardship is inevitable. I am told there have been three cases where men so transferred received threatening letters and ceased work as a result of these letters.
May I ask how many men having £1,000 a year have been dismissed?
That hardly arises.