UNION SECRETARY CRITICISED.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20342, 15 September 1931, Page 8

UNION SECRETARY CRITICISED.

COMPLAINT BEFORE TRAMWAY BOARD. Following a complaint made by Mr W. Williamson at yesterday's meeting of the Christchureh Tramway Board that the secretary of the Tramway Employees' Union (Mr E. Snow) ha-l recently consulted a numler of the Board's workers during hours upon which they were engaged at their work, tho Board decided to obtain a report concerning the matter. Tho Board had finished its regular business and was about to go into committee when tho chairman asked members if they had anything in the nature of now business to bring before it. "I have," said Mr Williamson, "I move that the secretary of tho Tramway Employees' Union be written to telling him that ho has no right to interfere with" our men during their working hours." Mr Williamson stated that on Thursday last while on his way to Lyttelton he saw Mr Snow talking to a number of men in the employ of the Board on the lino to Sumner. He asked Mr Snow for his authority to stop tho men. Mr Williamson said that he was bringing up the motion for tho reason that the Board was experiencing difficult times and did not want them added to by Mr Snow acting as ho was doing. The chairman: He was probably collecting contributions. "He has no authority to interfere with the men at their work," said Mr Williamson. Mr H. Pearce said that if 30 or 40 men stopped work for, say, live minutes the Board would lose a good deal of work for which it paid. Mr W. J, Walter suggosted that Mr Snow had been only following the usual practice of collecting dues. In seconding the motion, Mr W. Hayward said that he had no doubt that Mr Williamson had very good reason for bringing the matter up. It was decided, on the motion of Mr Walter, seconded by Mr A. A. McLachlan, that a report be obtained before writing to Mr Snow, Mr Williamson agreeing to this course.