POSITION CRITICAL

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 7, 8 July 1922, Page 8

POSITION CRITICAL

TRAMWAYMEN MAY

STRIKE

SECRET BALLOT ON MONDAY

COUNCIL'S TERMS NOT

ACCEPTED.

A critical position has arisen in the dispute between tho Tramwaymen's Union and the City Council, and the union will take a secret ballot on Monday on the question of going out on strike. The ultimatum issued by the council to the union expired at noon to-day, and as no reply was received, the municipal authorities will take the necessary steps to cite the tramwaymen under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act in order to secure an award of the Arbitration Court. THE COUNCIL'S PROPOSALS. The claims which the City Council desired the Tramwaymen's Union to accept by noon to-day involve, with one or two exceptions, a raduction in wages of 5s per week, which covers the cut made by the Arbitration Court in its wages pronouncement in May. Some modification of working conditions is desired, but, generally speaking, there is stated to be no very important difference between the council's new claims and the conditions prevailing under the agreement, which expired at the end of June, and under which the men ale still working. No increase in the hours of work is proposed, and it is not desired to take away privileges of any real significance which the men have enjoyed in the iast.

The City Council is particularly anxious to give the public the benefit of reduced tram fares provided it can secure decreases in the running costs af the tramway system, and it is in this connection that a reduction in the wages now being paid to the members of the Tramways and Power-house .Employees' Union is of vital importance.

The following are the minimum rates of wages which the council suggests should be paid to the several classes ol employees : —Motormen, first, ■ second, and third year, Is lOd per hour; motormen, four and under six years, Is lid ; motormen, six years and over, Is lljd; conductors, first and second years, Is 9d per hour; conductors, third year and over, Is 9|d; linesmen, 2s Id; linesmen's assistants,. Is 11-^d; wagon driver, Is lOd; permanent way repairers, Is 10|d; trackmen, Is 9£d; motormen engaged on ■ track-cleaner or grinder, £5 2s per week of six shifts; track-cleaner attendant, £4 10s per week of six shifts; emergency linesmen, £5 17s 6d per week (including Sunday shifts); tower-wagon drivers, £5 7s 6d per week (including Sunday shifts); car examiners, Is ll^d per hour; car equipment adjusters (first grade), Is lOjd; car equipment adjusters (second grade), Is lOd; shed labourers, Is 9^d; pitmen, Is lOd; arc welders (day), Is lid; arc welders (night), Is Hid; : arc welders' attendants, Is lOd; car cleaners, Is 9jd; leading firemen, 2s 0-i-d; firemen, la ll£d; greasers, 2s Oid; handy men, Is 10fd;.trimmers, Is lOd.

The remainder of the claims of the council are long and intricate, but they embody the principle of giving preference of employment to unionists. It is proposed that the award' shall operate for one year from the time it comes into force. THE SECRET BALLOT. The secret ballot which is to be taken by the tramway men on Monday on the question of striking arises (from the fact that no settlement was reached at the conference held with the officers of the council under the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act. The tramwaymen have to be registered under the Arbitration Act in order that they may .appear in proceedings before the Tramways Appeal Board, but up to the present no award of the Arbitration Court has governed ' their wages and working conditions. The law allows unions which do not work under awards or agreements of the Court to create disputes under the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, and it was in pursuance of the terms of this enactment that the recent abortive conference between the tramwaymen and the City Council was held. Should the tramwaymen's ballot favour a strike the Labour Disputes Investigation Act provides that seven days' notice of intention to cease work must be given. As there are other Acts which bear on the matter, however, it is possible that in the case of the tramwaymen they may have to give fourteen days' notice.