TRAMWAY STRIKE.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 125, 27 May 1919, Page 5

TRAMWAY STRIKE.

FOURTEEN DAYS , NOTICE | GIVEN. OFFICERS WILL COME OUT. ' IF DISPUTE NOT SETTLED. The dispute between the Auckland Tramway Officers' Union and the Auckland Electric Tramways Company advanced a further stage yesterday, and I the position us it .stands to-day is very j serious, a* the men propose to give 14 days' notice of their intention to strike. A special meeting of the Auckland Tramway Officers' Union was held last evening, and there was a large attendance of members. The business was to consider the reply of the general manager, Mr J. J. Walklate, to the massed deputation on Wednesday last, the business of that deputation being to re-1 present to the general manager the serious position arrived at by the delay in considering the claims of the union for increased wages, etc., represented to the company on March 31. After some discussion it was decided to iseue a maniI fertto containing resolutions adopted by the union declaring ito attitude in the present trouble. The principal points i of the manifesto are Oβ follows: — (1). "That recourse to strike methods is not of our seeking, and we have strenuously endeavoured to avoid them." (2). "The members are unanimously of opinion that in prolonging a settlement of our just claims, the Tramway j Company is simply marking time until j July Ist, when it Iβ expected the City j Council will take over the control and ownership of the tramway system, and j tlie Company will escape increased cost of labour, leaving the ratepayers to shoulder the responsibility of a higher wages sheet." (:i). "That the delay occasioned by having to wait for an answer from London, to a cable dispatched from Auck- I land on May 15th, asking for permission ' to act, is mere camouflage, in the face of j the fart that the general manager. Mr. ' •T. .1. Walklate, daclared to the Concilia-; tion Commissioner last August, that he was the attorney for the Tramway Com- | pany in New Zealand, and therefore, had power to settle disputes." (4). " Until the formation of the Off}- j cers' Union last year, the attitude of ' the management to the officers was cal- I loua and cynical, and officers complaining •' to head office were frequently told, ' If j you don't like it you can get out of the ' service.' This was the cauae of the . union being formed." (r>). "That in future all communications from the union to the general ; manager shall he by letter, delivered per- j sonally by the secretary, or his deputy, or by registered post. This shall not I apply to communications by delegations, vvhicß shall in no case consist of less than two persons." (fil. " This union resolves that in order to prevent the Tramways Company benefiting pecuniarily by the inexcusable delay beforementioned. any settlement arrived at in the matter of increased wanes shall be made retrospective." The union endorsed the action of the executive in placing the dispute in the hands of the New Zealand Transport Advisory Board, located at Wellington. I Other resolutions were passed providing for certain contingencies, such as intimidation and victimisation. The union meeting then closed, and the members resolved themselves into a meeting of employees of the company. It was unanimously decided to sign the following statement: "To the (General Auckland 'Electric Tramway Company, Ltd.—We, the undersigned each hereby give you notice that unless the dispute between ourselves and the company is satisfactorily arranged within fourteen days from date hereof, we will he most reluctantly, and against our own wishes, compelled to strike." This was at once signed by the 47 members present. The remaining 17 absent because of heinpr on duty or sick will sign to-day, after which the notice will l»e given to the company. The position, on being referred to Mr. Walklate, general manager of the Tramway Company, was characterised a-s heing dependent on the arrival of the reply to the cable which had been dispatched to the directors in London on May 15. This reply would arrive within the course of a day or two, and until then lie could not make any official statement as to the proposed attitude of the company.