"WATCHFUL WAITING"

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 10, 12 July 1922, Page 6

"WATCHFUL WAITING"

THE MAYOR'S POLICY

REGARDING TRAMWAY TROUBLE

NO DEVELOPMENTS YET.

There have been no further developments in connection -with the tramways dispute, but it is possible thatl the Tramwaymen's Union may meet to-mor-row, for the purpose of deciding whether or, not a strike shall take place in accordance with the vote carried'at Monday's secret ballot conducted by the Labour Department under the provisions of the Labour Disputes Investigation Act: For the present the City Council is preserving an attitude of strict reticence. When asked to-day whether he was prepared to make any reply to the statement issued yesterday on behalf of the Tramways' Union, the Mayor (Mr." R. A- Weight, M.P.) gave an-answer in the negative. "I am pursuing a policy of watchful waiting," remarked Mr. Wright. "That is all 1 can say." WAGES ALREADY REDUCED. From inquiries made to-day it appears that the tramwaymen havo already sustained a reduction of 6s per week in their pay. It seems that the City Council was free to adopt that course when the agreement with the men expired at tlie end'of June. The agreement was' registered under tlie Labour Disputes Investigation Act, which, unlike the Arbitration Act, does not provide that a registered agreement shall remain in force until superseded by another one. The chief question at issue between the council and the men is whether the union will work under an award of the Arbitration Court. ■ Despite the overwhelming majority by which the tramwaymen carried the proposal favouring a strike, there does not appear to be the slightest indication that the City Council will recede from the course it has taken up. namely, citing the .Tramwaymen's Union under the Arbitration Act and obtaining an award of the Court to cover working conditions on the Wellington tramway system. In some quarters the result of the ballot is not taken as a serious indication of the mind of the men, buteven should a strike eventuate, an award will be had in the long run. This could be done by the formation of another union which would agree to work under an award. A » Point was made in the union's statement yesterday that/ the men did not receive a full bonus from the Arbitration Court when it went before 'that tribunal in 1920, but it is: maintained that the agreements with-'the men haye always taken note of the increase in the cost of living, and that wages have been increased accordingly. From the men's point of view it is contended that the proposals of the City Council would, apart from the question of conditions altogether, mean an annual wages loss of approximately £10,000. OLAIMS OF THE UNION. The claims of the Tramwaymen's Union, presented to the City Council when it asked for a conference under the Labour Disputes Investigation Act, asked that all wages should ■be increased by Id per hour, except in the following cases:—Arc welders and arc welders' attendants, to be increased by 3d per j hour; motormen (first year), ls llfd per I howr; motormen (over one year), 2s OJd per hour; conductors (first year), ls 10|d per hour; conductors (after first year),. Is Hid per hour. A forty-eight hour week was sought for all overhead employees, and for, men called back or called forward a minimum of two hours' time was claimed. Double time was asked for work done on Sundays, Anzac Day, Good Friday, and Christmas Day, and it was proposed that a broken shift should consist of only two parts, no part to exceed a limit of five hours. x The union asks that traffic men shall have three weeks' annual holiday instead of fifteen days, as at present, and that the spread of hours on broken shifts shall be reduced to eleven and twelve.