THE TRAMWAYS STRIKE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26794, 10 June 1948, Page 6

THE TRAMWAYS STRIKE

Sir,—l' read with amusement the report of Cr E. J. Anderson to the City Council of his summing up of the tramway strike, and can only presume that he is attempting to save face by blaming anyone except those whom the general public know is to blame (the Transport Committee). The strike would never have happened if he, along with the tramways manager, had not smashed the award of the men, and no red herrings dragged over the scene can alter that. He apparently wanted the strike to last until after the Disputes Committee had given its decision and in the meantime the people would have had to walk and business people would have had to suffer. He was opposed to any settlement from beginning to end, and is still grinding his teeth because a settlement was reached. As for Cr C. J. Hayward’s query as to who was meant by Mr P. G. Connolly, M.P., when he stated that there were members of the City Council who were looking for industrial trouble, it is plain to all who have followed the dispute who Mr Connolly meant, and I can answer by saying that all members of the City Council and the political, party to which they belong are out to smash working conditions whenever the opportunity occurs, but the solidarity of the workers in this instance was the rock on which Cr E. J. Anderson and Co. perished. As for Cr L. Wright’s reasoning, to blame the strike on to the visit of a Communist from Australia, he is only attempting to capitalise on the present antired campaign, for the cause of the strike was apparent long before this man’s visit and if we used the same reasoning as Cr Wright, we could lay the blame on to two leading members of the National Party, Mr Gillespie and Mr Algie, who were very active in Dunedin just prior to and during the attempted smashing of the tramways agreement.—l am, etc., Rags.

Sir.—The tramways strike has come and has apparently gone, leaving members of the public still puzzling as to what it was all about. We have heard statements on both sides, and members of Parliament have congratulated the employees on their attitude; but we still do not know the real point at issue. Perusal of the newspapers during the recent days shows clearly that there are various minor points of difference of opinion—the chief of which appears to be that which will in ajiy case be subject to decision this week —but certainly fails to indicate any major dispute sufficient to justify a complete stoppage. We have been told of the preparation of a pamphlet setting out the employees’ c3se, but apparently the distribution of this has not been proceeded with—l at least have not seen a copy. The public would be glad, therefore, if sOmeone could give a simple answer to the following simple questions:— (1) What did the employees, really want? (2) Did they get it? (3) If they got.it, anyway, why could they not have got it without involving Dunedin in the all-round inconvenience of a five-day strike? A clear answer to the above from the parties involved would go a long way towards clearing the public mind on the question.—l am, etc., W. S. Gilklson.