TRAMWAY BOARD AND UNION.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14408, 16 July 1912, Page 2

TRAMWAY BOARD AND UNION.

EMPLOYEES' GRIEVANCES TO BE

INVESTIGATED

At yesterday's meeting of the Tramway Board, a letter was read from the Tramway Employees' Union formally withdrawing a previous letter containing a threat to tho efJFeet that the members of the Union would cease work on a certain dato under certain conditions; and asking tho Board to set up a committee to sit with a committee of fire appointed by th* Union to investigate grievances stated to exist, the joint committeo to report to the Board, Tho Chairman (Mr Geo. T. Booth) suggested that it would be wise to refer the letter to the Works and Traffic Committee, which could meet after the meeting" of the Board. If this were done members could discuss tho matter more freely. Mr H. Pearce did not see why the matter could not be dealt with by the Board. Mr C. M. Gray moved:—"That the Board proceed to appoint- a committee to meet the Union's committee." He said that the Board's members of the joint committee, after learning from the Union's members the nature of tho grievances, could afterwards hold a meeting in regard to the points raised, and take steps to facilitate a free discussion of them. Mr S. 'A. Staples seconded tho motion. Mr J. A. Flesher considered that all the members of the Board should constitute tho Board's representation on tho joint committee. Experience showed that in similar circumstances it would havo been better in tho past if all the members of the Board heard matters at first hand. Ho moved as an amendment:—"That the Board, in committee, meet the representatives oi the Union." Mr A. W. Beavcn seconded. The Chairman: "I think the suggestion mado by Mr Flesher is the wiser one." Continuing, he said that no statement had been yet submitted by tho Union a_. to what the grievances were. Of course, certain points had com© up in tho course of newspaper correspondence. He was •of opinion that the Union should inform the Board of the nature of the grievances, and the Union should be invited to lay them before the Board.

Mr Beaven said that it was not possible to get from a committeo exactly what took place; and there was every reason why all the members of the Board should bo present. The Union's proposal practically added to tho Board's committee a certain number of tho Board's employees. He did not think that was a right thing. If they agreed to it in the present caee -they might, in tho future, have ratepayers, or tho users of the trams, wanting to come and sit with the Board. He did not think that that was what tho Board was constituted for. The Hon. J. Barr said that he was inclined to favour th© motion, though he. had no objection to tho whole Board being appointed if tho Union was aeked to appoint an additional four members to its committee.

Mr H. Pearce said that every member of the Board was actuated by- a desire to do what was right. Mr D. Sykes said that he would support tho amendment if provision was made to increase the Union's committee

Mr Flesher: "I am quite prepared to do that; pr to give them nineteen members if they wish it." Mr Gray was of opinion that thoy were taking a steam hammer to smash a .gnat, and ho was inclined to mini-. mi se the whole affair, which, he, said/ had been magnified by newspaper correspondence. He did not see why eighteen men should be brought together to settle a trifling thing that could be settled by two "or three. They wero attaching far too much importance to these trifling differences of opinion. By 5 votes to 3 (Messrs Gray, Staples, and being tho minority) the amendment was agreed to in the following form:—"That the Board is prepared to meet, in committee, an equal number of representatives of the Union to discuss any grievances alleged to exist amongst tho employees of tho Board."