EXTRA EDITION.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25, 30 January 1912, Page 8

EXTRA EDITION.

TOWARDS STRIKE.IMPENDING TROUBLE. ATTITUDE OF THE UNION. TO-DAY'S MEETING. The Executive of the Tramway Employees' Union is pursuing a policy of complete secrecy. This morning a .meeting of the executive took place in. the rooms of the secretary of "the Union (Mr. Alex. Sutherland) at Newtown. There were present representatives of nearly all the unions belonging to the Trades and Labour Council, including Mesera. W. T. Young, president of the Trades and Labour Council and secretary of the Seamen's Unren* M. J. Reardon, secretary of the General Labourers' Union ; E. J. Carey, secretary of the Cooks and Waiters' Union; W. C. Noot, secretary of the Electrical Workers' Union ; D. Blackie, secretary of the Drivers' Union, and other union eecretariee. The position was explained to the .visitors by Mr. Sutherland and then the party adjourned to the club room of the men at . the car sheds. The meeting commenced at 11 o'clock and continued till nearly 1 o'clock. The representatives of the other unions were received with cheers by , the tramway men present, the room being crowded. Speeches were delivered by the Labour leaders present, who. assured the. tramway men of the support of the various workers represented. The remarks of the various speakers were received with cheers and applause, especially the exhortation of one secretary, who' urged the tramway men -to stand firm to their principles and fight their cause to a finish. The situation was discussed generally, and the result was an agreement >to strike. What particular policy the executive proposes to adopt, and when tho strike will take place, none of the tramway men present would divulge. A pledge of secrecy has been given. by the tramway. men. It is quite possible that work will cease at a moment's notice. The City Council, at the time of .writing, has not yet received any notice from the union' of intention to leave work. The tramway . men, according to the statements of several to a Post reporter to-day are very loth to strik^, but on I principle they ieel that there is nothing for them to do but to cease work unless Inspector Fuller resigns. The men employed in the power houses and car sheds are, all to come out in sympathy vrilh the tramway men, and the unions belonging to the Federation of Labour, represented by Mr. P. | Hickey, are determined to support the | tramway people in every •'rjossible way. It is understood that the signing of the notice to be - sent to the City Council of the intention of the to ceasework has been completed. A further meeting of members of the union will be i held at 8.30 _ this .evening, when the | Trades and Labour Council officials will again address the .tramway men. There appears to be^ a practical unanimity" among the men in favour of striking. i The City Council may receive due notice ! at any time. , The latest report on the 'tramway situation is that there is~a probability i that tho men will come out on strike lat 2.30 p.m. to-morrow. This is in 1 keeping with the character of the meeting to-day. With regard to the notice of intention to cease work, it is eaid on good authority that one member of ! the union has refused to sign the document, thus delaying the despatch of the notice to the City Council.' ' Members of the Trades and Labour Council who were present at the meetings of tramWaymen to-day refuse to give any answer to the question, When will the strike take place?