TRAMWAYMEN PROTEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27387, 12 May 1950, Page 4

TRAMWAYMEN PROTEST

Removal Of Subsidies GOVERNMENT RESIGNATION DEMANDED At two shift meetings yesterday afternoon members of the Dunedin branch of the Tramways Union passed resolutions calling for the resignation of the Government on the subsidy issue, and requesting the Federation of Labour and the Trade Union Congress to organise a one-day demonstration throughout New Zealand on the day of the opening of Parliament.' The branch also decided to ask the tramways national executive to increase its demand for a rise in wages from Is an hour (the present demand) to 2s an hour. Because of the removal of subsidies, it was also decided to make a further request to the national executive to move for an increase of 10s in the family child allowThe shift meetings were held at 2.15 p.m. and 3.15 p.m., and a statement was suplied to tlje Daily Times after the meetings by the senior vice-presi-dent of the union, Mr D. C. Duff. The president, Mr W. B. Richards, and the secretary, Mr L. McEntee, are at present in Auckland. “ The men were enthusiastic, and all the decisions were reached unanimously,” Mr Duff said. The meeting agreed that the Otago Trades Council, the Trade Union Congress, and the Otago Labour Representation Committee, prior to the one-day demonstration, should be asked to organise a mass meeting in the Main Town Hall, and that speakers representing all sections of the community should be asked to address the meeting.The full telxt of the “protest.” resolutions were: — „ “ This shift meeting of Dunedin tramwaymen voices its emphatic protest against the afction of the Government in lifting subsidies, an action which greatly reduces the standard of living of the workers. As the Government was elected on a policy of price reductions (‘ make your £ go further ’), and has now repudiated that policy, we are justified in demanding its immediate resignation. “We also request our national executive to call upon the Federation of Labour and the Trade Union Congress to organise a one-day demonstration throughout New Zealand, coinciding with the opening of Parliament. We shall ask all our members who are off shift that day to participate in the local demonstration. We further instruct our branch 'executive to inform the Otago Trades Council of our views and ask the council to take vigorous action in opposition to this unwarranted attack on the living standards of the working people.”