§ Major GLYNasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury what is the machinery by which temporary and established civil servants, respectively, can have their grievances considered; and is there machinery existing to-day by which appeals can be made to an impartial and non-political tribunal, irrespective of the particular State Department to which the civil servants making the appeal may belong?
§ Mr. McNEILLIt is open to any civil servant, whether established or otherwise, to make representations through the proper channel to the head of his Department, on any matter on which he feels aggrieved. Recognised associations of civil servants may also make application for deputations to be received by the proper authority. Subject to certain limitations as regards higher officers, provision exists under the system of the National and Departmental Whitley Councils for the discussion of questions affecting the remuneration and other conditions of service of civil servants.
Failing agreement by negotiation and subject to similar limitations, arbitration by a special panel of the Industrial Court is open to Government Departments on the one hand, and to recognised associations of civil servants within the scope of the National Whitley Council for the administrative and legal departments and of departmental councils allied thereto on the other hand, in regard to claims affecting emoluments, weekly hours of work and leave.
In the case of industrial staffs, suitable machinery also exists for discussion on Joint Industrial Councils and, failing agreement, for the reference to the Industrial Court, by consent of the parties concerned, of matters affecting the remuneration of such staffs.