SETTEE PAY WANTED TRAMWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCES.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 41, 18 February 1908, Page 7

SETTEE PAY WANTED TRAMWAY MEN'S GRIEVANCES.

POSITION OF THE CLERKS. Olerks motormen, and conductors in the Wellington Corporation's service are straying for pay better than the present rates. Lately the clerks did a thing with few Drecedents in the history of clerks ; they actually joined a union in their attempt to secure concessions. Not long ago, said one of tho workers today they asked for better treatment, but they did not get a hearing. Then thsv joined the Tramways Union, and now their case was to be reconsidered. The facts, as put by counsel for tho plaintiffs, are that the clerks number about a dozen, with wages ranging from £2 5s to £3 a week, and it is contended that some of tho men on the lower scalo are at least as competent, and have to do at least as much work as others in the higher grade. It is submitted that newcomers are introduced and placed over the heads of others who have been a cbuple of years oi so in the service; "favouritism" was the word mentioned. The clerk's week is one of 53 hours, altornatiug with another of 48; ho works 7. hours on alternate Sundays, and gets no extra pay, and a similar reward awaits him for the toil which he does on public holidays ; the only holiday he receives is Christmas Day. The hours ate awkward. The day begins for one shift at 5.30, and there are six or seven others til] the last is reached — 6 p.m. till 1 a.m. The men go week about on these shifts, and consequently they have no such things as regular meal-times for tiny period excoeding a week. Also they are required to make up shortages in cash credited to conductors and errors in tickets. Recently a member of the Tramways Committee remarked that he could go out and inside a couple of hours he could engage a couple of men to do the work of the tramway clerks for 30s a , yeek, but the men clanr> that the duty is worth £3 a week all round, and payment for Sunday duty. Details of the new demands made by conductors and motormen appeared in The Post on Saturday. The conductors consider that their responsibilities, including "shortages" in cash, coupons, or tickets (said to average about J3s per »nan a week) entitle them to pay equal to a motorman's. The men dispute the estimate of £8000 to cover the increases claimed. They declare thau thd figure .would not exceed £5000.