STRIKE OVER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 116, 18 May 1932, Page 9

STRIKE OVER.

CHRISTCHURCH TRAMWAYS UNION ACCEPTS TERMS. FIFTY-TWO MEN LOSE JOBS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) ' CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. The Christchurch tramway strike is now definitely over, and the board hopes to be able to resume normal services on Friday. . At a meeting to-night the Tramway Employees' Union decided definitely to accept the decisions of the chairman of the tribunal, Mr. A. T. Donnelly, with the amplifications and explanations which he gave this morning in answer to the union's objection that hie first decision was too vague in its terms. "With the exception of the traffic department, which is to employ 60 new men, all other vacancies in other tramway departments are to be filled by union men now on strike." This was the text of a recommendation made this morning by Mr. Donnelly, as the outcome of a further conference with the parties. Mr. Donnelly further recommended that 55 of the new men be employed within seven (lays, and the remaining five within 14 days. After this selection any vacancies on the staff occurring within three months should be filled from members of the upnion not selected in the first 90 taken on under the tribunal's finding.

The board has agreed to employ permanently no more than CO of the volunteers. It lias promised to proceed at once with the weeding-out process necessary to select those men who are suitable for employment as permanent members of the staff. It can employ forthwith 90 members of the union to fill vacancies on the staff which have never been filled by volunteers, and in the course of a few days will reduce the number of volunteer workers to make possible the re-employ-ment of members of the union.

Forty members of the union did not strike, and they will be retained. Of the remainder 130 will be re-employed and 20 more will be given temporary employment in accordance with the rationing scheme recommended by Mr. Donnelly. Fifty-two members of the union will lose their jobs.

A circular from the tramways manager, issued to all employees, makes a plea for harmony between those who have been running the trams and the strikers, and also containing a warning that friction arising out of the strike will be severely dealt with.