TRAM STRIKE

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1932, Page 4

TRAM STRIKE

AT CHRISTCHURCH Expected To-night VICTIMISATION BY BOARD. (Per Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH. May 2. A tramway strike in Christchurch seems unavoidable, unless there is a last-minute change of front by the Tramway Board or its traffic staff. There was a meeting of the two parties this afternoon. This served onlv to widen the breach. The men have declared that they will not take the cars out of the sheds on Wednesday morning. The employees have been asked to hand in their equipment to-morrow night, and they will be dismissed from the service. It is understood that the Minister for Unemployment, Mr Coates, has made representations to both parties. The Board state they understand that a decision to strike was reached on a small majority, and after a show , of hands. The Secretary of the Union, Mr E. Snow, declares, however, that a secret ballot was taken on Sunday. The reason for the threatened strike, it is alleged, is not primarily the men’s objection to rationing. They claim that twelve men who have been dismissed have been victimised. These men include one with 17 years’ service, while the majority have between seven and twelve years’ service. The Union state that they are being dismissed because of their tl activities in the industrial and political fields,” or because “they had opposed unjust punishment that was inflicted by the Board’s officers. ’ ’ The President of the Union. Mr J. Matheson, is one of the dismissed men. Meetings of the Union will be held to-morrow. At present it is intended to confine the dispute to the traffic men in the tram service, but. the Tramway Board, evidently fearing that a strike may involve the whole service, has advertised for men for all branches of the work.