TRAMWAY TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 312, 21 September 1918, Page 6

TRAMWAY TROUBLE

HOW THE WAGES BILL HAS JUMPED CITIZENS DIRECTLY.CONCERNED

' There' was no change reported ia connection with the local tramway , trouble yesterday. Wild rumours were circulated by irresponsible, people dur- ' in}; the day, but they were without foundation. Barring a shortage of cars, during rush-hour, the public we're not discommoded,(and -the suburban services have been well manv tained. ' The Mayor (Mr. J. P- Luke), when: interviewed yesterday on general situation, said that there was not much: doubt that-.the-action of. the tramway,' nicft wis .part of an organised schema •or. the part b'L the.Transport Workers' Advisory Board, whose first tilt was being made at the public of Wellington. Ho hoped the people realised, what they were up against in this movement. There were two factors the City Council bad' to hear steadily, in mind, u The-first was that they, as trustees for the citizens, had certain duties to perform in safeguarding their .(the public's) interests. He knew that there were those who said "Give the men what they're asking I" but those . people would perhaps be the first to complain if the fares were raised or'tho length of sections curtailed. The second factor' waV that the tramway men .were, working, under.: a- proper legal agreement, an the council, ~as uphold-'' ers.'of the law, could not become a.' party to i..'akii:,2 "a breach of that agreement—one that was made in all good faith and. honour with the men. If the iiien would hot adhere to the present.. agreement,ivhat surety had the council that they would agree to any ■other agreement'that might be made between them'aivi the : city? iTho-Mr.yor.pointed; out that so far ,'tiio council..had,, in .attempting to arrive at" a 'Settlement, ' hot become a. ■ : party' to-breaking''-tlie existing agreement. The offers ■ which-.had been made the men were both in the nature of war-time bonuses, and did not impinge upon the, integrity of the agree- ' ment. »•-.-. What the Men's Demands (Would Cos? '.;...: ■"■'. the-City.v..'".. ■* In the course .of'the interview the' Maybr was- asked what it would cost the'city, were" the full demands of the men acceded'to,' His Worship stated that the amount of money the tramway* men wanted' on top of what they are gettingat present was over £12,0(10 a .year. .'.. .'. '. How the wages bill has increased (as far as our tramway men were concern-ed)-may be gathered from the following table, : which sets forth the gross _ amounts paid annually in wages:— 1913-14. .......!.... 73,724 I ■-. -Midir.—.:.-..&.•.-:.• -82,412 . '- ■ 1915-16.■.-:....:'...■...'. •■'91,'450 '• 19.16-17 , ■:.■.:.,:.:... '95,491 -, 1917-18 ■•. :...,. -'97,540; The foregoing figure's'represent an in- - crease in wages of -32-.S- per cent, for the'war period: J Add the £12,000 odd 't'ho men are demanding' at'present to the total paid in-tramway wages for the last financial year. an,d £109,540 is the bill the city would have' fo ■ foot— 'an'amourit' tliatcbuldnot b'e paid without making a ■senoii's'ci'tirii'pon the public purseHliVoiigh' the''fares-.' •'■ The Citv Council, ■ Ah : its' attitude at Thursday's: meeting;' 'is'-' resolved to stand firm in. asking the m'e'iv.to stick to the' agreement' in ah honourable fashion. 'There are those who have not lost hope that a settlement may •yet'bo .arrived ■'at' on the 'basis of. the last.:offer riiado'.to . thtTohioi'iV'-viz.., a •.bonus of!l0 per cenfc,;on ordinary time pay." ?■--■-"=S- <■ '■■"■:¥■■'■•'■ -';_;-;|r MEN UNANIMOUS. . The union- setretary"(Mr. J. Hutchison) contradicts a statement that menibers of the union are somewhat divide i regarding the offer of a 10 per cent, additional bonus. "The men," he states, "are absolutely unanimous in adhering-to.-their-demand-for a"minimum wage of Is. 4'd.' per hour.".