Graver Stage In Tram Strike

Northern Advocate, 13 January 1948, Page 5

Graver Stage In Tram Strike

MELBOURNE. Tue.—The Melbourne tramways strike has entered a graver stage, with a Government proposal for emergency transport under police protection. The State Cabinet is meeting to consider, this plan. It is proposed to switch country buses to city routes, and to issue supplementary'petrol to business houses and private motorists. It is considered certain that the plan will be adopted. Officials of the Australian Railways Union have threatened that if the plan is accepted the Victorian railwaymen may also strike. In the meantime the Tramway Employees’ Association has announced that “hundreds” of pickets will be posted on all main highways leading to Melbourne. The secretary of the Australian Railways Union (Mr J. J. Brown) said that ii the Cabinet introduced emergency road transport all members of his union would be asked to vote by tonight on an extension of the strike. MEN NOT GOING BACK The president of the Tramway Employees’ Association (Mr A. C. Cullen) said that the men had no intention of going back to work. Picketing would begin.

If the Cabinet decided on an emergency transport scheme, his union vculd meet other unions “immediately.” Mr Cullen denied that he had said that organised emergency transport would be stopped “by force if necessary.” He had been asked what the union policy would be if police were detailed to stop pickets using force. He replied: “1 believe the question of the use of force will never arise. “The justice of our case has already helped us to dissuade many people from operating substitute transport. •‘The relations of tramwaymen, and policemen are very happy.” FORCE NOT JUSTIFIED Mr Cullen said he did not think the use of force would be justified, whatever turn the dispute took. The pickets had been instructed not to interfere with regular buses on normal runs, private motorists and emergency transport organised for staffs by business houses. “The men are determined to stick to their claims until they win,” Mr Cullen added. “Every prolongation of the dispute makes further inroads into tramways manpower.” Today is the 10th day of the strike, which has forced more than 500,000 ’people a day to scramble to the city and to work by train, bus and private conveyance.

Cabinet at its meeting yesterday decided to call the State Parliament to- • gether this week, probably on Thursflay, when legislation may be submit-, |ted to give the Government power to take over private buses for an emergency transport service. About 1003 striking tramwaymen yesterday picketed suburban roads and warned drivers of private buses not to’ deviate from, their regular routes to carry passengers to the city. SERVICING BAN Members of the Amalgamated Engineering Union have been ordered by the union not to service any motor vehicles engaged in emergency transport. i The suburban electric railways are still operating normally and are carrying a heavy burden of extra traffic ,diverted from the tramways.

| There are signs that if the trams do not resume soon the railways may be involved by the withdrawal of certain key men such as signalmen, which will automatically bring the trains to a standstill. Most of the railwaymen, however, are unwilling to strike in view of the fact that, they have been granted most of their claims without striking.