THE TRAM TROUBLE.

NZ Truth, Issue 327, 30 September 1911, Page 6

THE TRAM TROUBLE.

WHAT THE MEN WANT.

The Position Outlined.

Complaints of Council's^Lackaof

Sincerity.

Matters between the (Wellington"? JiSity Council and .the Wellington Tramways Union seem to have pretty well come to an/ impasse, and, at the time of writing, it is not quite clear . how they will eventuate The position seems to be as' outlined below^. The latest developments have taken place too late for us to enter upon them fully m this issue, but our readers may rest assured that hei'eafter we shall go into the matter exhaustively, as we have done m. other centres. It is all but twelve months since the^ agreement between the Tramway Employees' Union and the '.City Council • ran out. ■ . ■ ; r / AFTER WAITING i MANY MONTHS,, they entered into negotiations for a Sresh agreement. Meeting after meeting was held, at which the tramway, men consider the: negotiations were not seriously intended, the proceedings being more or less farcical. .. The men, had held a conference at; Christchurch, and,v as.', a- result, had« prepared a draft award, which was submitted ,to the T Wellington City, Council. Immediately after this, aconference of managers of , the Dominion tramways was held, but the exact text of their decision has not 1 "yet been made public. The men are absolutely convinced that, when the first conference with the Council was held, the Council could have OUTLINED THEIR PROPOSALS regarding pay and ; conditions of ' The men further claim that the proposals submitted by, the Council ■on Friday- of last week could / equally well have been submitted \vhen the first conference was held, [ and that the delay m submitting same / was vexatious and an evidence of want of sincerity to meet .the 'men's ; demands. , '_ ,- . Oh the question of pay, the Council assert that the Wellington tram,way men are the best paid m - New' , Zealand, which the men say is not m accordance with fact. In- Auckland, Christchurch, and Dunedih, motor- . men get Is 1% d per hour, while ; m Wellington the number who receive this sum is limited to 45 men, the reinainder receiving only Is Id per hour. These- 45 specially-paid men are picked by the management, and, m this selection, it . Is submitted; "kissing 'goes ; by favor.'' - . S All men have to pass a medical examination, and :do a ■ fortnight's work for nothing,; paying all shortsages . . : . ;: \ •:- ; : ; .■-... ■..-■■■ OUT OF THEIR OWN POCKETS iwhile leai'ning, and on. appointment i*eceive . only 11^ d. per hour., For employment, married inch get the preference/ to which no objection is raised, except that the initial wage ' is considered inadequate for married ;men with, (possibly) families. It is also submitted thai the dieJjarity m wages between pointsmen, ,wno are paid £2 15s per, week, and despatchers, who receiy§ £3 -7S 6d, is too great; and, moreover, unfair, inasjnuch as a pointsman really do e s ' e^uaily" cts -important work, as a despatcher. The cleaners, who afe paid Is an hour, which is said to average £3 per week, ai*o alleged to be unduly over-worked, being obliged to work every night, . Sundays included, without cessation. ; With regard / to the roster,- the men have now dropped V their proposals, considering that it is no part ol the Union's province to teach the Council how to run its tramways, so ' as^to get a betterment ."■■■ of the tramw.ay men's working conditions,- ' ■ . •