THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16397, 17 December 1918, Page 7

THE TRAMWAY TROUBLE.

NOVEMBER CONFERENCE

THE UNION'S VERSION

\s the outcome of tho meeting of theTramway Employees' Union on Saturday night, ;i letter has been sent by tho secretary of tlu Union (Mr 11. Hunter) to the general manager of tlie tramways (Mr Frank Thompson). The Hon. John Barr, M.L.C., chairman of tho Beard, when asked yesterday afternoon to make a statement Respecting the Union's letter, said that so far . j lO Icncw the Board had not received nnv communication from the Union, anil as ho had not seen the letter, ho was not prepared to say anything. Tho Union's letter is as follows: — X have been instructed to inform you •hat tho Union held a meeting at midnight on Saturday, Deeerabsr 14th, to receive the report of the three delegates £ho attended the conference -with tho representatives of the Board on Thursdelegates reported that they had convoyed the Union's decision in relation to the Board's offer of November 14th in writing to tho chairman of the Hoard and his colleagues, Messrs I>. sykes and S. A. Staples, on tho 12th inst., as follows: — Hon John Barr, M.L.C.. Chairmnn Christchurch Tramway Board. Sir, — The Union representatives, which met the Board's representatives ill conference on Thursday, November 14th, have to report that they crfrriod out thoir undertaking to inform tho members of tho Christchurch Tramway Employees' Union of tho proposals submitted by you on the Board's'behalf on the abovomentioncd occasion, viz.. h Six motormen to be reinstated subject' to a complete settlement being arrived at. 2. That tho Board act in conjunction irith the Union in requesting tho Minister of Labour to investigate the working conditions of tramwaymon as early possible, 3, Seven and a lialf per cent, to'bo j> a jd on all earnings to Octobcr Ist, The question of tho reinstatement of the two conductors who wore dismissed to be submitted to tho Staff Committee. We regret the delay which haa occurred in conveying the Union's reply to the Board's proposals, but it was unavoidable owing to the embargo which ' was placed upon meetings by tho Health authorities m the interests of public health. The Union met on Saturday, tho 7th inst., when full consideration was given to tne matters in dispute, and the following resolutions were unanimously carried: — . The Union learns with surprise and regret that the Christchurch Tramway Board haa failed to redeem the promise it made to the Union on Saturday, November 2nd, to reinstate the six motormen who had been dismissed, in view of the fact that the Union honourably carried out its undertaking to resume normal running, and meet the Board #in conference as arranged. The Union cannot agree to accept the terms offered, but submit the following:— • 1. Reinstatement of the six motormen.

2. Payment of time lost as the result of their dismissal. 3. The wages question to be the sub-, jeot of a conference. The delegates supplemented the foregoing by a full explanation of the Union's claims, and a discussion ensued on the points in, issue, but the Hon. J. Barr stated emphatically that the Board would not consider any further increase in wages, and would discuss jnly the question of the reinstatement >f the men, and payment of same. The chairman also refused absolutely to sonvey any proposals from the Union to the full Board other than the Union's acceptance of the terms laid down by him. After practically two hours' discussion the union representatives were informed that • the Board would submit the following terms of settlement: — 1. "Wages to remain aa at present. 2. Six motormen to be reinstated forthwith. The said six motormen to be paid the Bame rate of pay as paid to sufferers from influenza, viz.: 30s per week for the period from November 14th to December 16th, this provision being agreed to on account of the difficulties of calling a meeting of the union during the period of the influenza epidemic, said reinstatement and payment of wages to bo subject to a complete agreoment. ■ -> . The conductors' case to be submitted to, the Staff Committee on the completion of a settlement. ' The Union representatives undertook to convey the terms to the Union and report on Monday, December 16th, but held out no hope of the offer being accepted. The delegates' report was received at ]aat Saturday night's meeting and a ballot of those present was taken on Isie question of its acceptance or rejection, and it was almost unanimously rejected on a secret ballot. It was resolved that the Board be given one week to decide as to whether it is prepared to grant the; Union's terms, viz.:— 1. Reinstatement of the six motormen who wero victimised. 2. Payment for time lost by such dismissal. - 3. The granting of a minimum wage of ls"4d per hour and similar terms to those obtained by the Wellington tramwaymen. The Union views the Board's conditions of reinstatement of the victimised men .us vicious and degrading, and - ; s astonished that such .terms should be dictated by a responsible local authorty to its employees if it expects to receive their co-operation, as hitherto, ill the service of the public. The Board by deliberately selecting six motormen for victimisation to intimidate tho rest with a view to inducing them to abandon their claims .for reasonable remuneration for services rendered, has committed a breach of the I.C. and'A. Act and rendered itself liable to a ponalty of £500. Apart from the breach of the Act the dismissal of eight men, on payment of a week's wages in lieu of notice establishes a precedent. If the Government fails to prosecute the Board for breaking tho law and the Union hereafter follows tho example set by tho Board, the Government dare not prosecute them. If the Board can instantly ylismiss a number of men by paying a week's wages, then the men nave an equal right to leave tho job by giving a week's notice.

The Union has proved that the printed rules and regulations and timetable aro inconsistent and unworkable, and that tho traffic employees are responsible for the timetable running. Wo know that your engineers, traffic manager and motor inspector were out night after night from after midnight until about 3 a.m. with an electric car, loaded with sparo parts, testing tho timetable, with rule book speeds, and contend that a test arrived at under each circumstances, when ail other traffic is off tho road, is valueless, but the fact that this was done is clearly an indication of your own lack of confidence in your "Itulo Book." In further considering the Union's claims kindly give particular attention to these points: — 1. Tho present award was based Tipon the "Wellington agreement of September, 1917. . , 2. The Wellington men have since received an increase in wages with a minimum of Is 4d per hour. 3. As the present Christchurch award was determined bv Wellington on tho previous occasion tho Union contends that similar consideration should follow now.

4. One shilling and fourpence per Jiour means £3 4s for 48 ho" r8 - ... 5. A tramway week «*f 48 hour* witn

broken time means actually a week of from 60 to 70 hours.

G._ Grocers' assistants have been in receipt of £3 6s per week for the past year, and they have to do no signing on or off.

7. Tho drivers of the I>ominion hare recently refused an offer of £3 4s per week, and they do not hpve any broken time.

The tramwnymen have human freight in their charge, and surely they are entitled to at least as much consideration as the employees of private firms who have to comneto with each other.

Tho Union will be pleased to receive a reply 'to this letter from the full Hoard on or before Friday next. In tlie meantime a copj' is being handed to the Press.

THE DUNEDIN MEN "GO SLOW." (special to "the 1-r.ESS.") DUNEDIN, December 10. This morning the city tram cars soon got behind time, some a little, others a good deal. As the morning wore on the public saw beyond all possibility of mistake that a "go slow" policy was being adopted by tho men in control of tho cars. It is the first time that anything of this kind has happened in Dunedin. No intimation was given about the matter to the tramways manager, nor have the men any statement to make on the subject to the Press. It does not,, however, need a Solomon to find the cause of the trouble —it is tlio men's way of calling general attention to the fact that ever since the 6th of October, when toiieir award expired, they tried to get a settlement of their demands. They have taken all the required steps under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, and kept the cars up to time, and now they are annoyed at the delay on the part of the Minister of Labpur in not taking the step of authorising the ballot, this being the step nocessnrv before a legal strike can bo launched. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, December 16. There was considerable delay in the running of tho city tram cars to-day, the rcen apparently adopting a "go slow" policy. By 2 n.m. one car was 42 minutes late. Tiie men cont-end that they are carrying out the rules regarding reduced speea at crossings, etc.