THE WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16322, 20 September 1918, Page 7

THE WELLINGTON TRAMWAYS.

CITY COUNCIL'S DISPUTE WITH THE MEN. (SPHCIM. TO "THE mESS.") WELLINGTON, September 19. The City Council seems likely to take soino kind of stand in the dispute with the tramwaymen. Tho Council has been advised that the refusal of the men to work overtime is a breach of tho existing agreement. There have been three rulings in support of this opinion—two by Judges of the Supremo Court, and one by a Magistrate. These* rulings have been to tho effect that the refusal of men to work overtime which they linvo been in tho habit of working is a breach of an agreemout or award. It would certainly bo held by the Court or. tho available evidence that thero has beon "concerted action" in refusing to accept this overtime work, and tho Court might, therefore, find that tiie men had been guilty of a strike within the definition as contained in l:he .Act-. Tho contention of the men is that they have refused to work overtime for health reasons. As to wlitv ther this contention is reasonabta or not would bo a question for determination by the Court. Tho cairiago or passengers by land is an essential industry under the War Regulations, and there are special provisions in tht regulations- dealing with strikes in essential industries. Tho demand of the union for a minimum of Is 4d per hour is considered by tho Council to be a somewhat extravagant one. Ifc is not a high wage for an al.'le-bodied man, but it is a very high wage to bo demanded for work that can bo well done by youths of oighteen. Thero aro numbers of these youths in the sorvice now, including a few Maoris and half-castes. These lads could never get evon their present wage at any other occupations. Some boys have left positions as message boys and juniors in offices to go on tho trams lately In their other positions they would ho receiving at most £2 a week, now they can earn, by working something losa than ten hours a day, €3 12s 6d a weok. The Council is willing to raise the pay of the married men a little, but it will not make a big general increase in wages to cover the increased cost of living to boys who aro getting more than they could ever hone to oarn at normal times. In an official statement of the wages actually earned by tho men, it appears that the wages of motormen range from £4 6s to £3 16s per week, and that tho hours Worked range from 57 to 61 per week. Tho 61 hours was worked only by thirteen men; the others worked from 57 to 58£ hours in tho week. Tho pav of conductors ranges from £4 5s to £3 12s 6d, and tbrvr hours range from 62$ to 58} per week. During tho greater part of this time the men hare only very light work to do. All the runs aro suburban, and out of the city limits. The men have nothing like enough to do to keep them fully occupied during those hours of the day when traffic is light. In the rush hours the conductors are worked very hard, owitwj to the overcrowding which' tho Council has to allow bccause of look of cars and nower. Over an averace day no great physical or mental strain "is involved irt the conductor's work, tsVen if ho has to do a couple of hours' overtime.

(PrttfSS ASCOmTTOV T*T.«mtAV,) WELLINGTON. September 19. Tho special meeting of lihe City Council, held yesterday, was not open to the Press, but it was learned to-day that the question of the tramwaymen's pay was exhaustively discussed. The opinion was expressed that the Council would not be dealing fairly the public .in, acceding to the men s demands. Some of the councillors considered that tho Cotiticil had been unduly generous in offering a 10 per cent, increase after the men had refused an offer of a 5 per cent, increase, and had broken tho existing agt-eemeiit regarding overtime. Tt is understood that the Motion eaiimg uprtn the moil to carry out their duties in terms of the existing agreement was carried by 7 votes to 4.