SAILWAY FIREMEN'S RESOLUTION

Evening Post, Volume CI, Issue 16, 19 January 1921, Page 8

SAILWAY FIREMEN'S RESOLUTION

USE OF INFERIOR COAL

Another railway strike is threatened. Members of the Wellington Branch of (the Locomitive Engineers, Firemen, and Cleaners' Association have decided that, unless special concessions are grant; ed while the firemen ar© forced _to burn ;what they regard as very inferior coal, they will cease work at midnight on Sunday next. The General Manager of Hailways (Mr. K. W. M'Villy) has promised to Teply to the demands made by mid-day on Saturday.

It was explained to a Post reporter today that negotiations with the Department had been proceeding for some time. Last Monday week a representative, of the Wellington Branch of the E.F.O.A. informed the general secretary (Mr. W. aVl'Arley) that the position was serious, and an interview was arranged with Mr. M'Villy for the following .Wednesday. The seriousness of the position was placed before Mt. M'-Villy, who was inform|ed that, unless something was done immediately, the men might get out of hand. No reply was received before Sunday, when a general meeting of the branch was held, and the following mo- ' Son was passed unanimously : —

That we, the firemen, having the fullest sympathy of the drivers, view with dissatisfaction the class. of inferior coal v.c are called upon to use. While sympathising with the management in being unable to procure coal of a better standard, we protest against the great quantity of inferior coal they have bought, and are still buying. Had they bought only sufficient to tide them over any shortage that may have existed, they would have retained our sympathy,- but owing to the inferior coal now in use we request the management to immediately grant to all firemen and drivers having inexperienced firemen with them twenty minutes' extra allowance, both preparing and putting away engineSj and 3s per day extra when burning inferior coal. Seeing that this matter has already been represented to the General Manager by correspondence and deputation, we notify the General Manager that unless these requests are granted by noon on Saturday, 22nd instant, firemen will cease work at midnight,

Sunda,y, 23rd

A TepreEenta|ive of the branch stated to a Post reported to-day : "We went along and had a further with Mr. MWilly yesterday. He received us most courteously and sympathised with us in. the quality of the coal we are called upon to handle. He complained that the time.which we had given him to reply to our demands was insufficient, especially considering that the Chief Mechanical Engineer was away. We jointed out' that, he had already been warned that the men were inclined to take drastic action unless something could be ., done for them. Mr. M'Villy agreed to recall the Chief Mechanical •Engineer immediately, and said he would let us know of the Department's decision by noon "on Saturday.."

A representative fireman stated that, tho coal complained of was Australian, iVancouver, and Japanese. This coal, he said, was very inferior, although they did not complain about its steaming qualities. However, it was extremply dirty to handle, and after 18 to 20 miles the fires became choked, and had to be cleared out. Whereas with normal coal it was only necessary to clean the fires twice in a shift, they now had to be cleared out as often as seven or eight times. This meant a great strain on the firemen and extra wear and tear on their clothing. It was important to note that the amount of clinker and ashes removed Jfrom the yards previously was four or five truck loads per week. The weekly total now is about 15 or 16 truck loads. "We, in turn, eympathise with the Department," said The Post's .informative. "We have no desire to make capital out of the Department's coal difficulties. If they supply us with good coal we will ask for no extra concessions. We want to be as loyal to the Department and to the public as we ,were during the Christmas holidays, when, deepite inferior coal, we kept, the- trains •running to time. We, are now asking for 3d per hour, extra—2s per day—and ,we do not think our demand, is excw■sive." ... The Wellington firemen have been guaranteed the full support of the enginedrivers. So far no other branch of the E.F.G'.A;. has taken the drastic step 'ecided upon by Wellington.