Bus men stop work

Press, 10 May 1979, Page 4

Bus men stop work

Christchurch Transport Board buses were back in service about 2.30 p.m. yesterday after having been off the roads from about 9 a.m. while drivers held a stop-work meeting. The stoppage was for a general meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Tramway Workers’ Union but because there is no provision in the award for such meetings the drivers will not be paid for the time off the road.

The stoppage did not cause the congestion in the city which some had expected. A spokesman for the Ministry of Transport said that the traffic had been so light that it had been little different from when the buses were running.

Some passengers were ’ caught by the late return to i work of the drivers. They began waiting at bus stops 1 soon after lunch time but i the buses did not arrive 1 until after 2.30 p.m. ; A spokesman for the <

Transport Board said that most complaints had come from persons who had not been aware that a stop-work meeting was being held. The board had told radio stations as soon as the meeting had ended.