Annual report on Northern Rhodesia / Colonial Office.

  • Great Britain. Colonial Office.
Date:
[1959]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Annual report on Northern Rhodesia / Colonial Office. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    20/150 (page 18)
    Relations between the mining companies and the various African employee organisations remained good. The fact that there were “ stand still ” wage agreements in existence undoubtedly contributed to this. Various disputes of a minor nature arose at some of the mines, but almost all were quickly settled by conciliation. Wages councils continued to regulate wages and conditions of service for both Europeans and Africans employed in shops and for Africans employed in the building industry and in the hotel and catering trade. There are joint industrial councils for Europeans employed in the building industry and in the motor trading industry and for African municipal employees in the Western Province. There are also Whitley councils for both European and African civil servants. Active steps were taken during the year in an endeavour to implement the advancement of Africans to more responsible posts on the Rhodesia Railways. In September, the Railway Administration announced that, after discussion with the Railway African Workers’ Trade Union, arrangements had been made for the opening up to African employees, at new and modified rates of pay, of seven jobs related to categories previously reserved for European employees only: This decision caused dissatisfaction amongst European trade unionists generally and the General Council of the Federal Trade Union Congress rejected the proposals at a meeting held later in the same month. In December, after discussions with the Rhodesia Railway Workers’ Union and the Amal¬ gamated Engineering Union who represent European railway employees, the Railway Administration proposed an alternative plan of advancement based on the principle of the “ rate for the job ”. Under this plan, any African employees selected for consideration for advancement would first of all serve a four-year probationary period in their new jobs at a rate of pay £10 a month less than the full existing rate. During this four- year period, the Africans would be required to maintain European standards, but in other respects they could retain their non-European conditions of service except that they would pay an economic rent for their houses. This later plan was under consideration when the year closed. NATIVE TAX The rates of annual tax vary from 10s. in the remotest rural areas to £1 in the mining districts. Limits varying from 6s. to 17s. 6d. had remained unchanged from 1938 until, by a Government Notice published towards the end of 1955, these increases became effective from 1st January, 1956. The whole of the increases in respect of Northern Rhodesia Africans are credited to the native treasuries, whereas the full amounts payable by alien Africans accrue to Government. The effect of the changes in regard to Northern Rhodesia Africans is to provide for 10s. and 15s. tax rates in rural areas (of which Government