A Blow at Public Transport

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27753, 2 September 1955, Page 10

A Blow at Public Transport

It is not too late for the New Zealand Tramway Employees’ Union to call off the stop-work meetings next Thursday. If persisted with, they will surely alienate a public Who regard the tram and bus drivers as their friends, who appreciate that many are working under considerable difficulties because of staff shortages, and who will want to see justice done to the men’s claims — provided these are pursued by reasonable and lawful means. The processes of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which have served New Zealand workers very well, are available to the tramway and bus men for this purpose; and, las the Minister of Labour has emphasised, nothing except a delay caused by the union stands in the way of an immediate meeting between the employers and the employees in conciliation council A stop-work meeting that keeps buses and trams out of service for eight hours will serve no useful purpose; but it will both inconvenience and irritate the public. No-one will suffer from this more than the employees of the public transport services, few of which make profits and most of which lean heavily on the rates. At a time when the managements are more than ever concerned to win public confidence and to build up passenger revenue, the union’s irritating tactics are ill-advised.