asked the Minister for Local Government if he is aware that the Cork County Council decided to increase the wages of carters employed on road work from 12/6 to 20/- a day, and subject to sanction, granted an increase of 10/-a week to all other road workers; whether these proposals were submitted to him; if so, whether he has sanctioned them; and if not, whether he will state the grounds on which he refused to sanction the action of the county council in regard to a matter of this kind, which is one of primary local interest.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Road Workers' Wages.
A proposal to increase the wages of carters by 7/6 a day and of other road workers by 10/- a week was submitted to me. I have sanctioned rates of 44/- and 47/6 a week for road workers where the existing rates were 43/- and 43/6 a week, respectively, and authorised a flat rate of 13/6 a day for carters. The rates sanctioned for road workers are the minimum agricultural rates for the different areas and I am not prepared to sanction rates in excess of these rates. Should the minimum agricultural wage rates be increased in the near future, I shall be prepared to review my decision on the proposal of the Cork County Council in the light of the agricultural wage rates fixed by the Agricultural Wages Board.
May I ask the Minister if he received from the county council, as far back as February last, through the county manager, a request that this matter should be reconsidered; if he is aware that the county council budgeted this year for the increases passed by them, and if he is further aware that the county manager was asked to furnish to the Minister the average earnings of road workers in the county during the previous 12 months in order that the Minister would be able to conclude, as he could easily, that the continuation of the existing rates of wages, in view of the present cost of living, was an injustice to the workers concerned?
Would the Minister say why, when members of a county council agree to strike a rate to cover an increase in the wages of road workers——
In County Cork?
In all counties.
This question refers to County Cork.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, I want to know why he did not sanction an increase in the road workers' wages in Wexford, although the council was willing to strike a rate for that purpose?
This refers to County Cork.
May I ask the Minister if he is aware that there have been general complaints amongst the road workers in the county as to their difficulty in paying their way and in living under present conditions, having regard to the wages paid up to the present? Is he aware that the rate of 47/6 a week, to which he refers as a high rate, is applicable only to a small section of workers in the vicinity of Cork City?
I am aware that the wages of road workers in County Cork vary according to the district in which they live and work, but I am obliged to have regard to the general policy of the Government, which is, so far as rural workers are concerned, that where their work is similar in importance and in character to that of agricultural workers, their wages will be related to the wages paid to agricultural workers. I have indicated to the Deputy that I am prepared to reconsider this matter as soon as any change takes place in the minimum wage rate fixed for agricultural workers. Until a decision to vary agricultural wages rates is taken, I am not prepared to do anything more than I have already done.
May I ask the Minister if he is aware that the rate of wages fixed for agricultural workers in County Cork, £2 3s. 0d. per week, is a minimum figure and that in a large number of cases agricultural workers are paid a rate considerably in excess of that figure? May I ask him further if it is fair to relate the minimum rate of agricultural workers to the maximum rate of wages for road workers and if he is aware that the average period of employment for county council road workers in that area does not exceed 45 weeks?
I have no reason to believe, and I do not think any other person has any reason to believe either, that the employment given to persons on roads in County Cork is the sole means of livelihood of those engaged in that work. However, so far as I am concerned, I do attach some importance to the fact, although the Deputy does not seem to, that a man may not be in whole-time employment under the county council. Apart from that fact, many road workers are now being employed on agricultural work and turf work which we regard as being much more important than road work.
If I assure the Minister that the vast majority of the road workers in County Cork are entirely dependent on that work, will he accept my assurance?
There is a shortage of turf workers and agricultural workers.
With your permission, Sir, I propose to raise this matter on the adjournment of the House this evening.
asked the Minister for Local Government if he is now in a position to state whether it is intended to review the whole question of the wages paid to road workers, in the light of the existing price levels and the general demand for larger incomes to compensate wage earners for the considerable deterioration in the purchasing power of money which was not compensated for during the emergency because of the Government policy of preventing wages from rising.
The rate of wages paid to road workers is under constant examination and I am prepared to sanction increases in the rate paid to such workers up to the minimum agricultural rates. During the emergency such workers received increases in wages and at present are paid substantially more than in 1939.