TRAMWAY STRIKE TO-MORROW

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24740, 4 December 1945, Page 3

TRAMWAY STRIKE TO-MORROW

WELLINGTON DISPUTE SETTLEMENT THOUGHT UNLIKELY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 3. Another tramway strike will take place in Wellington on Wednesday unless some unforeseen development occurs to ensure a settlement of the dispute by noon to-morrow. Noon is the deadline set by the Tramway Employees' Union for a settlement of its claims for the restoration of the warloading bonus, and the provision transport for early-morning workers. If these claims are not settled by that time then, in accordance with the decision of last week’s general meeting of the union, the strike must go on. Rumours were current to-day that the strike would spread to other sections of the transport industry, and to other centres. Mr P. A. Hansen, secretary of the Tramway Employees Union, and also of the New Zealand Transport Workers’ Federation, would neither affirm nor deny these rumours to-night. He said the Wellington stoppage had been discussed by the national executive of the Tramways Union, and the initial strike would be confined to Wellington. A meeting of the Wellington Union would be held °n Wednesday, and what happened after that depended on developments. It was for the meeting on Wednesday to determine whether the strike'would be another one-day stoppage," or whether the men would remain out on Thursday and on subsequent days. Council’s Attitude The tramway dispute was discussed in committee'by the Wellington City Council tp-day, after which a statement was issued reiterating the 90uncil’s view that the two points at issue could be settled only by the Court of Arbitration. This statement • a * res^l legal opinion had been obtained by the council from a leading King’s counsel, who was quite independent of all council activities, and this opinion more than confirmed the attitude already taken by the city council, and made it clear that the dispute over the war-loading bonus could only be settled by the court. Mr Hansen, when asked for comment on this statement, said the whole matter had been thoroughly argued in the newspapers, and nothing could .be gained by continuing the controversy in that manner. He considered it a pity that negotiations should have been conducted in that way without any “get together” between the parties. “As for the fresh legal opinion from a King’s counsel which is mentioned in the council’s statement," said Mr Hansen, “I am given to understand that this opinion is from Mr W. J. Sim. president of the New Zealand National Party. .The union prefers to take the opinion of the Labour Department in the matter rather than that of Mr Sim.”