AUCKLAND TRANSPORT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 29 April 1942, Page 2

AUCKLAND TRANSPORT

h XGAGEMEXT OF WOMEN SOON \ Auckland, April 28. This decision means that the Auck!i nd Transport Board will now proi ceed as soon as possible to engage women employees.'’ said the chairman, ivlr Sayegh, commenting on the tramway men s decision as telegraphed trom Wellington. “Probably other boards will be forced to adopt the i same course as that decided on by the ; Auckland board. Almost a month ago the position was that our offer was ■ separate from that of the Passenger Transport Association, and, in any j case, we would shortly have been forced to reinforce our staff with women to carry on any sort of service. : The proportion of women will now I have to be increased.” The comment of Mr Hansen that the offer was the same as that made i on 20th January and meant an increase to a 48-hour week Mr Sayegh de- ; scribed as perfectly unfair. At that time the situation was not quite so I desperate as it was now, when every ! ballot meant more men leaving. The latest ballot meant that in any case women would have to be employed if the board was to carry on anything i Lke the present services. 1 Mr Sayegh said the next ordinary i | meeting of the board was not due for j tluee weeks, but the urgency of the I situation might mean that a special ! meeting would be called.—P.A. I SIX-DAY WEEK AT ORDIN ARY RATES TRAMWAYS UNION REFUSAL Wellington, April 28 j The national executive of the New i Zealand Tramways Authorities’ Em- | ployees* Union has unanimously rejectled the offer contained in a decision of ! the Public Transport Association of New Zealand that before women were engaged, members of the union throughout New Zealand should be offered the opportunity of working a sixday week, the sixth day to be paid for at ordinary rates, ’n its rejection, the union expressed the unanimous opinion that the emiloyment of women, *if such action meant the retention of the 40- : hour week, should be encouraged ratht er than deferred.—P.A.