MELBOURNE TRAMS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25964, 3 October 1945, Page 5

MELBOURNE TRAMS

GENERAL STRIKE EXPECTED TROUBLE OVER ROSTERS (Rec. 0.15 a.m.) MELBOURNE, Oct. 2. Trouble which began on the Melbourne trams this afternoon is expected to develop into a general tramways strike by to-morrow. The dispute arises from the decision of the employees of the Malvern depot to enforce a six-day week. The present rosters are all seven. The tram depots provide a six-day week for all employees except some who work seven days every seventh week. During the war most of the employees worked a seven-day week. Last week the Malvern employees’ union decided to enforce a six-day week as from yesterday. The committee instructed employees rostered for seven days not to work on the seventh day. The Tramways Board warned the men so rostered that they would be suspended if they did not report for duty. It assured the men of a general six-day week when the manpower position permitted, probably in a few weeks. The Malvern men adhered to their decision, and the rostered seven-day men who did not report were suspended when they reported to begin work to-day. Representatives of the Depot Committee then instructed all drivers on the routes to return the trams to the depots. Other depots followed suit, and by early evening most of the trams had been driven to the depots. Urgent negotiations are now proceeding.