UNPOPULAR TRUCE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1324, 30 December 1911, Page 6

UNPOPULAR TRUCE.

TRAMWAY TROUBLE. ' STRIKE THREAT STILL OPEN. UNION TO DISCUSS EXECUTIVE'S ACTION. Thero is to bo a-meeting of the Tramways L'niou on Sunday—some of the members are willing it an indigiiatiu'u meeting—at which the action of tho. Vniou Executive-.'in withdrawing the threat to filriko will bo traversed. This threat to ■walk off tlio ears on New Year's live was withdrawn-by the union officials after a prolonged -conference with the Mayor (Mr. T. Jf. Wilford) on Wednesday last. The council had decided—a council of twelve, in which the Mayor exercised both his deliberative and his easting votethat uno Inspector Fuller must'leave the icrvico, but notice of a motion to nsciud the resolution was given by' Councillor Shirtelifie. ' ■ . - In tho meantime no arrangement was made as to what should be done with Inspector I'ullcr.' He had been off duty for nine days prior to .Saturday last, but that day he was sent back to his ordinary duties at ,'i p.m. Tho result was that thero was --very nearly a strike the fame evening. The heads in tho union manag- . cd to prevent a' strike, but it was decided by tho union th-at unless Inspector Fuller were removed fvoni tho tramway service they-would cease work on New Year's Eve. Then came tlio conference with' the Mayor, at which the Union Executive ■agreed to pocket the siriks weapon' on consideration that-u .public'inquiry was made by the council on January .1 into certain charges which (hoy would prefer ugainst Inspector Fuller. Since then tho Jfayor has; pone (o Eugland, aud the members of the Union hiive expressed considerable .dissatisfaction with tho action of their executive. The meeting tp.be licld on Sunday is the outcome,of a nibvcn'.eut(by that section of the tramway meu.who,think that their side conceded too much..- , ... - — - • The majority of the men do not think that anything very serious will happen out of the meeting. Since the trouble arose onSaturday the executive, have been Apposed by'a'disaffected section, and the executive have been able up till now to their way, and the probabilities arc that.they will triumph again to-morrow. The cars ' will probably . run as usual until Thursday' night, when tho union -will have their opportunity ..of telling . the council why they think Inspector Fuller is not a fit And proper person to hold his present position.'' .-■■•-.•-••■ ''And we shall want their decision that s<i.nie.' night,".-said tho. secretary of tho union to a DcMU.Vio.v reporter yesterday. "Wo feel so coiilident. that. tho decision will bo in our favour that wo have not considered what wo shall do if the council go against us. This argument that wo aro opposed- to Inspector Fuller ber;iu.sn he does his duty is nil wrong. Wo don't object to inspectors; we know they arc necessary for half a dozen reasons. Tho cars .have been running eight years now, -and this is the first inspector under w.hom we have refused to work. And lie was tho last one appointed. J can't remember a single man whom he has bad dismissed, but there are inspectors in the service who have had several men dismissed. Wo don't object to that; wo know it is for the good of the great majority pf decent tramwaymen that undesirables should bo- ont of tho service. Some of the -cases discovered by the best inspectors have been of such a sort that the union would not touch them with long tongs for the purposes of appeal. Wo have been only too glad to let tho cases pass over quietly in tho interests of. the other members of'the union. We don't object to the inspectors who discovered these cases, bccausoV we knoiv they are straightforward, honest, manly men." . - •■ - Inspector Fuller is to be supplied today with a copy of tho - charges made against him by tho men, in order that he may, if .lie so desires, instruct counsel to "defend'.him. It is probable that the union .will also.be represented by counsel. So far as the present, intentions of the leaders of the union can be learned, they oro in favour of a. 'strike in the event of the council deciding adversely to them. The strike will involve all the tramway-' men, but the pow.er-honse men, who are also members of the union, will bo left at work to supply current for street lighting. If, however, the management try to run the tramways with "blacklegs," the power-liouse men will also bo called out.