SIX-DAY WEEK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 11, 14 January 1944, Page 6

SIX-DAY WEEK

QUESTIONNAIRE CARD ' TRAMWAY UNION'S OBJECTION The action of the Auckland Transport Board in attempting to issue a questionnaire to its employees seekI ing their views on the further extension of the present working hours to I a full six-day week, was the subject of representations made to a special meeting of the board to-day by representatives of the Tramways Union. I After going fully into the union's case the board decided to seek the cooperation of the union in the taking of a postal ballot on the question of the introduction of a full six-day week. The meeting was called as the result of a letter sent to the board by the union, which stated, inter alia, j that the union executive emphatii cally protested against the board's ' proposed ballot of union members, i characterising it is a flagrant inter- ! ference in the domestic affairs of the I union calculated to undermine the ' status of the union as representatives I of tramway workers. "Highly Irregular Action" The letter included the text of a [ resolution of union members, which stated that in the event of the board : "persisting in this highly irregular action," and failing to withdraw the ballot cards on a date named, the 1 management committee had resolved j to call a stop-work meeting of all ! union members for 8 p.m. last Wed-

nesday. The chairman, Mr. W. H. Xagle. said that a certain number of the questionnaire cards had been issued ia employees' pay envelopes on j January 11, and on-receipt of the union's letter he had agreed to j suspend the issue of the balance of! the cards pending the question com- ; ing before a meeting of the board to-day. The decision had been con- i veyed to the union at 10 a.m. last Wednesdav.

The secretary of the union, Mr. E. A". \Yhitlow,_sairi that, although the union"'was" prepared to co-operate with the board, it had not been approached on this subject. The whole question should have been discussed before the cards were issued. Membership of 850 In reply to Mr. J. Sayegh, Mr. Whitlow said the union had 850 traffic employees on its roll. • The average attendance at union meetings was far below 300. The president of the union. Mr. A. Speck, said that all the union at the moment was concerned with was that the board had attempted to take a ballot over the heads of the union. Mr. Whitlow said that under its agreement the union had to work a five-day week of eight hours.

Mr. Nagle said it was a long time since the men had worked a 40-hour week. The hours at present were closer to 54 than 48 hours. The men had been working longer hours because of the war. The Board's Desire The Government had determined the whole manpower issue throughout the country, Mr. Nagle said. The board's duty was to consider first the safety of the public and the safety of its employees. The board had not in any way endeavoured- to assail i the principles of unionism, nor had it tried to interfere with the domestic working of the union. After all the members of the union, to whom the questionnaire was addressed, were employees of the board. The board had been concerned about representations made by members of the union as individuals regarding the imposition of a full six-day week. It was owing to these representations that the board had decided to seek by democratic methods to what extent these views were held in the service. What was wrong with holding a ballot on the question? Mr. Whitlow said that no member of the union had taken exception to the union's resolutions concerning working on the sixth day of the week. Mr. Speck said the board's method of issuing the cards was unorthodox.