WEEK’S RESPITE IN THREATENED TRAMWAY HOLD-UP

Evening Star, Issue 26151, 12 July 1947, Page 6

WEEK’S RESPITE IN THREATENED TRAMWAY HOLD-UP

YP.A.) WELLINGTON, July 11. The threatened hold-up of tramway services throughout the Dominion for the purpose of holding stop-work meetings of union members next Wednesday has been postponed for at least one week. The conference which has been sitting; . in Wellington since Wednesday considering the claims of the New Zealand Tramways Employees’ Union for a Dominion agreement concluded to-day. It is , understood that on certain points settlement was reached, and Counter-offers Were made upon wages, Saturday penal pay. Sunday pay,, and. shift pay, on which points the parties did not agree. The chairman, Mr' S. Ritchie, Conciliation Commissioner, made an urgent appeal to the workers to take no immediate action that would precipitate a hold-np Of tramway services throughout the Dominion; He stated that he would- report to the Minister of Labour, Mr A, MoLagan, and take whatever steps were necessary to ensure that the public would not be required to face O stoppage of trams. The secretary ,of the New Zealand Tramways Union. Mr P. A. Hansen, had little comment to make about the progress that had been made at 1 the conference other than to .state that it was far from satisfactory from the point of view of those representing the union; Arrangements had been made for . the holding of stop-work meetings in every centre on Wednesday next, July 16, but in view of the Urgent request of the Conciliation Commissioner, the national executive of the. union had instructed that' the holding Of meetings should be postponed for one week to Wednesday, Ju!y 23. • •