§ Mr. WESTasked the Postmaster-General whether he has reached any settlement with the Post Office Engineering Union in the matter of their wage claim; and, if so, what is the amount involved?
§ Mr. LEES-SMITHI am glad to say that I have been able to reach agreement with the Post Office Engineering Union1190W on their claim for a revision of the rates of payment of the rank and file grades in the engineering department of the Post Office. The settlement, besides securing substantial advantages to the skilled staff as a whole, removes a number of anomalies in pay and grading which have come to light since the last revision of pay in 1919, and in my opinion places the wages system of the Post Office Engineering Department upon a greatly improved basis. Although the cost of the revision is substantial, amounting to £189,000 a year, it has given me great pleasure to assent to it, in view of the willing cooperation I have received from all sections of the staff in various improvements in method and organisation which advances in engineering methods have made possible.