TRAM STRIKE TRIBUNAL.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20545, 13 May 1932, Page 15

TRAM STRIKE TRIBUNAL.

GOOD PROGRESS REPORTED. tORDER OF REFERENCE. SITTING MAY END TO-NIGHT. Such good progress was made yesterday by the Tramway Strike Tribunal established under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, to find a settlement for the present dispute, that there is some prospect of its deliberations being finished to-night. Yesterday there were no further difficulties of procedure such as hindered progress at the preliminary sitting and the tribunal was in session, taking evidence from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. The proceedings are held in camera and no statements will be issued' to the Press until the tribunal has completed its investigation and given its decisions. The sitting' will be resumed at 10 a.m. to-day. The members of the* tribunal are: — Mr A. T. Donnelly (chairman), Messrs E. H.' Andrews, G. T. Booth, and W. Hayward (representing the Tramway Board), Messrs H. T. Armstrong, M.P., J. Mathison, and A. T. Boanas (representing the Tramway Employees' Union). Mr Frank Thompson, General Manager of the Tramways, presented the case for the Board, and Mr E. Snow, secretary of tho union, was the men 's advocate. No counsel were present. The Order of Reference. The order of reference was agreed upon as. follows: (1) All questions in dispute between the union* and the Board are referred to the decision of the tribunal, including the position of the new men and the Board's responsibility to them. (2) The Tramway Board and the union both agree to accept the decision of the tribunal on all questions. (3) If the members of the tribunal are evenly divided the chairman shall have a casting vote. (4) The proceedings shall begin on Thursday morning, at 10 o 'clock. (5) No outside persons or interests shall be directly represented before the tribunal, but the Board shall call evidence from the new men and the members of the union who did not strike, Other outside witnesses or evidence may be called with the chairman's consent. The Board's Statement. The' Board's statement of its claims is as follows: (1) That the Board, having found itself with no work for a number of men in the latter part of 1931, made a reasonable endeavour to conserve the interests of its employees by proposing a system of rationing work instead of dismissing men, and that the union did not meet the Board's endeavour in a reasonable way. (2) That the system ;of rationing instituted in January, 1932, was operated by the Board in a reasonable afad fair manner, aritfthat full opportunities were given to the union to ventilate and have remedied,any inequities in the operation of the system and that the union did not take full advantage of those opportunities. (8) That the Board was justified in suggesting a continuant* of the rationing system after Mareh 31st last, although it would have been justified in discharging the surplus men then. That the cdunter-propdßaiß at tnie union to 4Vdid dismissals and avSid rationing were not practicable and reasonable, and that the Board was justified in refusing them. l±) Tliat in all the circumstances of the cjtse the Board was justified in discharging twelve men on or about April 27th, 1932. (5) That in making a selection of the "men to be discharged the Board exercised its rights reasonably. The Board adopted the same procedure as had been adopted Without objection by the union in January, 1931. (6) That the union did iiot observe the law respecting the commencement of the strike. (7) That the union, having decided to strike in cofatraveiition of law, did not 1 give the Board reasonable Notice of its i intention so to do. in order to allow the Board to conserve the interests and t convenience of the public. • (8) That all individual members of the union were fully advised of the illegality of their action and of the possible consequences before they wont off work Oft strike. (9) That the Board Was justified m publicly 'inviting applications for'employment 6ii Monday evening, May 2nd, and later, "and that it was justified in offering to provide employment under the existing or future Industrial Agreement if a strike eventuated. (9a) That as the result of a resolution by the Bo&rd, the Board's' Officers repeatedly assured applicants that their employment would be permanent subject to suitability, and that much prominence was given to that promise in the public Press. The chairman of the Board publicly confirmed this assurance. (10) That members of the union having refused to work on Wednesday, May 4th, and later, the Board was justified in terminating the engagement of the men concerned. That reasonable opportunities were given tb Strikers to return to work even after notice or dismissal was given them and as a result several men returned to work. (11) That Board agreed to the setting up of this Disputes Committee on the express condition that every consideration Would be given to the claims of the hew men, in regard to the definite undertaking given them" by the Board as to the terms of their employment. The Board contends that nothing but permanent employment (subject to suitability of the individual) can fully satisfy this claim. (12) That in the event of the committee finding that a number of the new employees, having proved themselves suitable for the work, should be continued in their employment, the Board claims that the remaining / vacancies shall be filled by selection by the Board from the available former employees -as at May 3rd, 1932. (13) That it would be practicable for the Board to arrange the work of the new employees so that the objections of the former employees to work with the uew employees could be ineL (14) That full and adequate steps should be taken to protect from intimidation and persecution the employees who remained in the Board's service • as well as the new employees. (15) That the committee should state its recommendations for the settlement of the dispute.

* Complaint of Victimisation. The claims submitted by the union for the consideration of the tribunal were: (1) Victimisation. (2) Eeinstatement in their former positions of all men who were members of the union on April 30th, 1932. (3) The dismissal of all free labourers. (4) An equitable system of rationing. Chairman's Powers. The official notice given to the chairman (Mr A. T. Donnelly) by the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr P. Hally) under the terms of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, 1931, states that in pursuance of an agreement made by representatives of the Christchurch Tramway Board and the Tramway Employees' Union, Mr Hally referred to him the dispute between the parties in order that h"e may enquire into and endeavour to effect a settlement. For that purpose he is empowered to summon a conference of the parties or representatives of the parties, and otherwise to exercise the powers conferred upon him by the Act. The Conciliation Commissioner (Mr P. Hallys addressed the tribunal -when it met yesterday, and handed over all the documents in connexion with the dispute. Mr Hally. congratulated the representatives of both parties on the appointment of a committee which appeared to be of such a character that the members would be able to do justice to their respective organisations. He especially wished to congratulate the parties on the selection of their chairman. "Will Mete Out Justice." "Although Mr Donnelly was unknown to me except by repute until two days ago,'' Mr Hally added, '' I am quite satisfied that he is above all things a just man, and while he would not as an arbitrator be able to please both sections, and .there is a possibility that he may not be able to please either of them, lam confident that he will mete out justice to both, irrespective of whether it pleases them or otherwise." Mr Hally said he wished to thank both the Board and the union for their consideration of himself during the progress of the negotiations, and at the request of the committee he had decided to remain in Christchurch for another day or two. The tribunal then commenced the hearing 4>f evidence. NARROW ESCAPE. . i TO DERAIL RICCARTON TRAM. SHEDS PROTECTED WITH BARBED WIRE. An attempt to derail the last tram to Biccarton last night was the only untoward event in the running of yesterday 's-tram services. A large bolt and an iron wedge were placed in the rails on Riccarton road, about 100 yards on the City side of Ham road. The car passed over both obstacles, narrowily escaping derailment, but the motorman was somewhat shaken by the experience. Barbed wire fences have now been erected across all the entrances to the Moorhouse avenue tram-sheds, greatly facilitating the work of the patrols. The fence is made with gates to cover the tram tracks, and when all the last trams had returned to the sheds last night these gates were closed and made fast. The sheds were again well guarded by regular and temporary constables. Late Night Bervice. Whether the Tramway Board will be able to run a service for the lato shopping night, to-night is not yet certain. The chairman (Mr E. H. Andrews) said last evening that the Board was being guided by the police, and could not announce its decision until to-day. Last night, as oh Wednesday, the service was continued on all lines until 5.45 p.m., and on the five chief lines until 8.20 p.m. On Wednesday evening the service was suddenly curtailed on the advice of the police, and many people w-ho come into the City to attend the picture theatres found when they went out into the Square after 10 p.m. that the last cars had left some two hours before. The Board, when its plans had to be changed, made every effort to advise the public, both by notices which were posted on the 5.45 p,m. cars, and by an announcement from the brpadcasting station 3YA. Wire-Netting Guards. • Except for the Obstructions on iho Biecarton line there was again no interference with the trams yesterday, cither by day or by night. All necessary precautions were taken by the police, and the usual patrols were maintained. Hooting and booing greeted one of the early trains to RiccartOh, when it drew up before a queue waiting for the distribution of relief rations outside the Hospital Board's offices, but the noise was quietened wfcen a bus-load of regular and temporary police halted at the roadside. The departure of tho trams from the sheds in the morning and their return at night were entirely without incident. Many of the trams running during the day were equipped with wirenetting guards, and the presence of these, While leading to some facetious remarks frOm the passengers, induced many to go into the City who would otherwise have been in fear of broken glass or a stone.