THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13161, 7 July 1908, Page 10

THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

« *| DEPUTATION OF EMPLOYEES -la WAITS ON TH3- BOARD. „ ** '™kp THE SURPLUS AND DEFICIENCY PROBLEM. JW '■ft. ..& A deputation of three member*, o_ .-j^ the Tramway Employees' Union waited t_2* on the TramM-ay Board at its mee'ing" J" l * yesterday in refer.-nee to the V_ tions dealiug with surpluses and ficienccß passed at the recent of the Union. ? The Chairmau (Mr A. W. Beavon) l "\ said that as representing tho Board, *■■'" ho must take exception to the state. **• ment M-hich the Union had made pubho that the Hoard had not kept faith with i tho Union, insomuch a.s when the- f agrt*ement mas considered in confer- *» 1 once, the present scale of wagcs> was "' accopt_Hl by the Union provided that* all conditions remained the same At *■ the time tho agreement Mas made. j continued the Cnairuiau, tho eonduo- " ! torn' total deficiencies Mere rather . more than met by tlio total of the "" surpluses. This good result continued for only three months after the agreement Mas made. During tho time of -C. the Exhibition, when a number of nov inexperienced conductors wero drafted " into tlio sei .-ice, and M-hen a consider*. ~ abb amount of overcrotvding took place, tho good balance between defici- * * encies and _.urpiluscs was maintained - From April, 1907, hoMovor, the bal- v ances of surpluses over deficiencies c entirely ceased, w-horea.. before that » date they liad monthly alteniat.d with deficiency balances, as was to bo seen. *- in the table supplied to the men More t than that, the balance of the deficien- ?f cies increased until no option v. as left -' to the Staff Committee but to talo r notice of it in tho interest ot those oon- * ductors who did their work well, and \ the Large interest of tho sy_te__i as a ,-+> whole. It was the fact that a section of "* the conductors increased the amount of -''" their deficiencies to such an amount __ ' - to totally alter the system m vogne v. when tho agreement was entered into that compelled the. Board to tako action!-_T If tho men could givo the Board any t * explanation of the somewhat sudden *.£ alteration from tiie alternating and deficiency balauoo which existed * monthly up to April, 1907, and croaking monthly deficiency after that dato, ho good*-? M-ork -would bo done, and a batter 3. understanding of tho position arrir_d "** at. Ho could ___-uro them that the,*"? Staff Committee had considered tha % matter for a long timo before brotight the matter before the Board They discussed not only tho two «__g./|4 gestions brought before tho Uirion get over the deficiency trouble, some others, and found it difficult arrive at a plan which would give tb(>'-__; best conditions to those who could show good results. It watW for that reason that they resolved to $£r give the present plan throo mortifis'-H trial, and leave other arrangements §& till a fresh agreement with tho tTnioaJl was made within tho next few - The spokesman of tho deputation J» said that during Exhibition timo _be"W overcrowding had been so great th_t<% tho conductors had takentfafes and badbglH not been able to give ,tio__s__. The that the surpluses so.«¥t-__d had be-_.|& handed to tho Boead.was a proof of.l the men's honesty. The deputation sired to bring "before the Board ___!§i resolution in regard to paying the «»£s_s ductors |d an hour extra, so that _hsp. could meet the deficiencies. Tho ci_kl| ductors were out of 'pocket with i-Pc present Bystem. 'fM Mr Reeco wanted i<> know whether, p%% proficient man should havo a amount of deficiency ? It seemed to hiaM thai a man who had been at tho work||j some littlo time should be able to gu_x*s|i against the trouble. In regard to tibrfiS people who did not pay their fares, t_mi|| had nothing to do with the surplus deficiency question, as the Board, ofjp course, lest those fares. *-§11 A member of the deputation said llMg| men put 'the whole trouble down. m| overcrowding. If the conductor (ja-nffli the passengers short change, they scowl heard about it, but if they gave much, they were often not informed_}Jjl the fact. The Chairman: It was during tMj|| Exhibition that the surpluses -W--jj|| greater than at any other time. Vci2 One of the deputation said it **nujf|i be plain that this was duo to crowding. C^Sm Tho Chairman said tho averageTsl| 1905 and 1906 was about £20 p_*|| month deficiency. Daring the !«||| twelve months it had fluctuated fulfill £25 to £46.1 __ complete change h_3|| come over the system. a i^ A member of the deputation: tho last six months there have lot of now hands employed- !§£ Mr Pearce 6aid the question of tJW|| men's honesty had not been in the matter. _3l* The Chairman asked if the d_p*rt*£|| tion could give an explanation of W|| sudden alteration. There had hpen uSB alteration in one month from a plus to a deficiency, and this had ta_&| increasing ever since. The Board nised that tho men wanted to. __tw» the matter just as much as the Bo«J||| A* member of the deputation said *a||| men were in the same position as mm Board in not being able to account Kg the fluctuations. 3§al The Chairman stated the would bo given careful and the deputation then withdrew. -JBj \ brief discussion ensued, and on IMg motion of Mr Flesber, seconded by JlE| Recce, it was decided to Tefer the IM*3§ ter to the Staff Committee to deal W-UM| and report to the full Board. i||