CO129-599-2 Salaries Commission- 1947 Report 1-1-1947 - 31-12-1949 — Page 76

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Scales of High Cost of Living Allowances.

188.

It is stated above that we have concluded that the standard of living of the lowest paid grades of Government servants actually is higher now than before the war. The coolie who before the war was paid $13 a month now is paid, in Government service, a total of $101.50. He is still badly housed, but no increase of pay would immediately help him in that respect, for accommodation does not yet exist. His additional pay goes very largely into a more varied and ampler dietary. Though we have shown reason for increasing the basic pay of workers in this class we are satisfied that there is no ground at present for increasing their total emoluments.. These men have been paid in addition to basic pay, a high cost of living allowance first granted in 1941, a small rent allowance and a new high cost of living allowance which has gone under the name of a "Rehabilitation Allowance". As this allowance is paid at the rates laid down by the Labour Office, by the shipyards and the public utility companies, we do not propose any change of name. Manual workers at present are paid either the Labour Office "rehabilitation" allowance at a fixed monthly rate or the percentage high cost of living allowance sanctioned for Government officers generally, whichever is the more favourable. The critical pay on our proposal will be about $120 a month.

189.

We therefore propose that hereafter Government officers drawing 8124 a month or less shall be paid in addition to the enhanced basic pay a rehabili tation allowance calculated at 830 less than the Labour Office rehabilitation allowance for the month. No separate 1941 high cost of living allowance nor rent allowance should continue to be paid.

190.

The result of the proposals in paragraph 189 above will be to maintain the total pay of coolies, semi-skilled labourers and artisans at rates closely approximating to existing rates paid by Government and by the chief industrial employers. But as a second result will be that the minimum now proposed for a coolie on his first employment is reduced from the $101.50 paid by Government to the $89 paid by private employers, we would propose that on transfer to the new scale of pay and allowances a man should be given a conversion allowance to bring the new pay up to his pay under the present system and that he should be paid that allowance until the new scale would give him an advantage over the old.

191.

We propose that on wages between $125 and $149 a month an additional $60 a month should be paid as a high cost of living allowance. In this grade the full allowance should be paid to both men and women workers, whether married or single.

192.

For basic salaries of $150 and over, the following proposals are based on a curve constructed on points established according to the method outlined in paragraph 185 above:-

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