WILLIAMS THE WORRY.

NZ Truth, Issue 125, 9 November 1907, Page 5

WILLIAMS THE WORRY.

A TRAM-SHEDS TYRANT.

A Word to the Wise. "Truth" this week wishes to direct its attention to a' few happenings at the tram-sheds, with a view, the necessary view, of course, that will be speedily righted and 'the men will have small cause for complaint m future. It is a weekly matter now that bosses or foremen m either Government or Municipal employment have to be pulled up with a round turn and have light shed on their little tinpot tyrannical manner of dealing with the men under them. That part of the men employed at the tram-sheds and who have formulated a complaint are the car-clean-ers. The foreman over them is one Williams, a despot m his way, by all accounts. Under him work seven or eight men, and their lot is anything but pleasant. The cleaners are always coming and going, and it might be just as well for those over Williams to ascertain how it is the men cannot stand him, and rather than submit to the indignity of being closely followed up by Williams overseeing their work, they prefer to seek employment elsewhere. Now, if there is a despicable creature m the whole world it is the boss, who is constantly on the heels of those under him, seeing to it that they do their work. Workmen, with good reason, thoroughly detest this sort of thing, and the tram-cleaners at the sheds resent Williams's interference, more particularly as his own special brand of work cannot compare with theirs. Williams has, for some reason or other, hard to define, but probably from the fact that he is boss and wants to show it, subjected a number of the men under him to ALL SORTS OF PETTY PERSECUTIONS. The mten claim that they work hard, and some of them through really be- , ing overworked have had to be put on the sick list. Some, on the' other hand, have been favored and put on light day-work, others just the opposite. One man who had met with a severe accident and was laid up for a couple of months, was kept on, after he was able to get about, at wight-work, and is expected to do as much, if not more, work than a man m perfect health, and Williams the bully can be safely entrusted to see that he grinds out every ounce m him. Moreover, though on one occasion he complained of one .man's negligence at work, the inspection of some cars "cleaned." by Williams himself, revealed tijcm to be m a sad and sorry condition, and Williams retaliated on the man by calling him a h b . This same Williams has a set on more than one of the cleaners and gives them harder work than others, and of course he sees that his favorites get oft lightly. He is an independent sort of cuss, too, and it is said he threatened to resign recently if one man was not dismissed. Persdhallv this paper does not know Williams from Adam ; judging, however, from all accounts, he is an individual whose services could be easily dispensed with," and he ought to recognise that m this world no m?n is indispensable. If he doesn't recognise it, he ought to be made to. He seems to he A SORT OF TOP-DOG m these sheds, and complaints to Foreman Leah go unheeded. Anyhow, "Truth" merely mentions these matters to let Williams know that he is not the only oyster m the stew,, and accordingly warns him to be careful, otherwise he might find himself m difficulties- from which he might not disentangle himself very readily.