NEW TRAMWAY CONDITIONS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25304, 2 October 1947, Page 6

NEW TRAMWAY CONDITIONS

SUPREME court CHALLENGE

EMERGENCY TRIBUNAL’S POWERS QUESTIONED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 1, The validity of the decisions made by the chairman of the National Tramways Industry Tribunal (Mr A. B. Rigg) under the Strikes and Lockouts Emergency Regulations is to be tested by the Wellington City Couiv cil, which proposes to go to the Supreme Court for a ruling on the legal authority of these decisions ffn'd intends to question the pow® r of tribunals under the regulations to over* ride awards A report ef the qouneil’s intention to question the powers of the tribunal in the Supreme Court was eopfirmed to-night by Cr. W. H. Stevens, of the tramways committee. He said h? could not discuss the situation in detail, but said that Wellington tramway workers, unlike those in other centres, still had an award operating and its term would not finish until November 28 next.- The council not only held that the terms of this award made by the Court of Arbitration could not be superseded by the rulings of the tribunal, but questioned, in particular, decisions to include Sunday inside the 40-hour week. The council would agree to the operation of wages and other decisions of the tribunal, but would not agree to the inclusion of Sunday in the 40-hour week.

Union Secretary’s Statement ' The secretary of the Tramway Employees’ Union (Mr P. A. Hansen) refused to say anything about the position this evening, but Said it was true that the tribunal’s decision had been already discussed by tramwaymen at one meeting and that another would be held on Sunday. A special meeting of the national executive would be held.

‘ The national executive is not being called to Wellington for nothing,” said Mr Hansen. “I would not hazard a guess at what the men may do if the position arises in which it is necessary to tell them that decision of the tribunal, which by regulation is final and binding on all parties, is not going to be observed by the employers.’’ Mr Hansen said it was the opinion of the union that the decision of any tribunal under the Strikes and Lock* outs Regulations was binding in its entirety on all parties and must be adhered to by them.