TRAMWAY STRIKE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21934, 18 October 1934, Page 11

TRAMWAY STRIKE

DECISION BY MEN MELBOURNE DEADLOCK INSISTENCE ON CLAIMS EVE OF DUKE'S VISIT EMERGENCY TEANSPOET By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received October 17, 7.45 p.m.) MELBOURNE, Oct. 17 The Melbourne tramway employees to-day by a four-fifths majority adopted the union executive's recommendation for a strike. They decided not to resume work until their claims for 2s a day extra pay and improved working conditions aro conceded. A committee was appointed to control strike activities. Depots are being established to provide food relief for the tramwaymen and their dependants, and assistance is being sought from affiliated unions. Melbourne now has been without trams for 24 hours. The people are adapting themselves to the circumstances. The Government's emergency bus ser\ ices and the railways are proving ample for all the traffic requirements for the time being. The chairman of the Tramway Board states that to grant the men's demands would involve a permanent increase in expenditure of £164,000 a year, which would necessitate increasing the fares. When the tramwaymen's representatives waited on the board yesterday afternoon the chairman said he regretted that the board could not negotiate with them while the men were on strike. This decision was conveyed to the men at a further mass meeting this morning.