AUCKLAND BUS DRIVERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1945, Page 4

AUCKLAND BUS DRIVERS

STRIKE COMMENCED. AUCKLAND, September 11. Auckland’s 300 bus drivers went on strike to-night shortly after 6.30, bringing to a standstill all passenger bus services in the city, and suburbs, including those on the North bnou.. It is the intention of the men to remain on strike until the proposed disputes tribunal, which they nave been promised to consider matters in dispute with the employers, commences its sittings in Auckland. As two of the three employers’ representatives on the tribunal are in Wellington on another matter, the earliest. date on which the tribunal can sit is Friday. An emergency meeting of representatives of the drivers was held tonight to consider a last-minute suggestion from the Acting-Minister of Labour (Mr. O’Brien), but this was stated, after consideration, to be unacceptable, and was accordingly rejected. A general meeting of bus drivers will be held in the Trades Hall tomorrow morning, when the men will decide upon their future action. In the meantime, some 25,000 Aucklanders will be faced to-morrow with the problem of travelling to their pffices and factories. Whether normal transport facilities will be available for their return home in the evening is dependent on the decision of the drivers to-morrow morning. The appointment of Mr. J. A. Gnmour, Industrial Magistrate,, as chairman of the tribunal which is to consider the matters in the dispute between the bus drivers and their employers, was announced by the Act-ing-Minister of Labour in Wellington this afternoon. PARTIAL RESUMPTION AUCKLAND, Sept. 12. A meeting of bus drivers finally decided on a partial resumption of the services to-morrow. They will operate up to 8.30 a.m., and from 4 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. in order to convey workers to and from the city. These hours will continue until the tribunal commences its sitting, when normal services will be resumed.