TRAMWAYMEN'S SERVICES RECOGNISED.

Evening Star, Issue 19263, 31 May 1926, Page 3

TRAMWAYMEN'S SERVICES RECOGNISED.

TO THE EDITOE. ■ Sir,—Yon have recently 1 published IT I yonr columns the recommendation ol the Tramways Committee to the City Council. for Wednesday next iij refeience to the bonus to be 1 extended to some of the sections of the department's employees. The principle is one that should meet with the approval of tlie general public, but its.jyiplication is absurd, and rankly partial.' Nobody could suggest, for one moment, that the mntormen, conductors, mid bus drivers have not more than qualified themselves for the reward ol a bonus, but there are other sections of the departments staff whose efforts are second to none in making for the efficiency of the service during the Exhibition period, sections whose labors do not. come into the limelight.. 1 refer to the workshops and permanent way staff's. In reference to the workshops staff, rein posed of engineers. eloetrieinns. roach workers, car examiners. motor mechanics, and laborers, it is a fact, that these men were not only called upon to work all hours during the Exhibition in many cases all nights - hut for practically three months prior to the opening they loyallv sacrificed their freedom and liberties by working every night, Saturday and Sunday, in a united and successful endeavor to place on the road on November 17 last (he department’s full complement of ears and buses, for which they received a mere letter of thanks.

The tramways manager lias just received another increase of salary of £'loo per annum, fie is also recommended for a ,CdO bonus, the inspectors £2O. the traffic clerks from £lO to £l2. Xo mention is made of the engineer, or workshops heads, whose joint efforts are realty carrying the 'bonus-lifters an their harks. One would- almost think that if the manager thought so much of the .services of the workshops staff as his letter to them indicates, ho would he reluctant to accept his further bonus until he saw that the staff were equally recompensed. The bonus is not the only in justice accorded the workshops and permanent way staff's. Our annual picnic, gran J «f by the council two years ago, was t * n away from ns this year by some irr. sponsible 'official, and only through (.ho efforts of our worthv mayor (who has alwa'vs championed our appeals) and f'rs M’/mManns and Rmeoek were we assured of its reinstatement for next. year. Again a. leading local printing firm very graciously donated a few hundred pictures of the Exhibition' for distribution amongst the employees. Tins ffrin’s covering letter, posted np in the depot dining room, clearly reads: “To he presented to every man of the staff.” Application for these was made by the workshops and permanent way staffs. hut thev were informed that they did net come under (lie scope of receiving them. It would he interesting to know who grit them all. Now, we are deprived of tlie bonus, which seems to he allotted with rank partiality. We are with (he. motnrmen,. conductors, and bus operators in their deserved recognition, but we do claim .that, our unrewarded services have meant, considerably more to (he efficiency of the service than those mentioned ns (he recipients of £2O, £l2, and £lO. The staffs referred to are servants of the public, and tlm council is the public’s trustee. It therefore behoves the general public to demand that a matter sue!: as the one referred to is met by the council with justice and impartiality, and not, in the one-eyed terms of the com mit tec’s recommendations. Tlie time is more than ripe when the workers should have their own representative on the Tramways Committee to ventilate and prevent a lot of tlie injustices received by tlie men from time to time. Trusting the council will not ‘‘kill the goose, that, lays the golden eggs,’’ but refer, the .recommendation hack for redraft-ing—-T am, etc., May .10. One Who Knows, ,