NEW AGREEMENT

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 812, 5 November 1929, Page 11

NEW AGREEMENT

TRANSPORT BOARD MEETS THE UNION OLD BREACH REPAIRED “I am glad to say that we have been able to come to an amicable settlement, and that the abrasion between the board and the Local Bodies Labourers’ Union has been healed,” said Mr. J. A. C. Alium, chairman of the Transport Board at this morning’s special meeting. 1-Ie was referring in the first instance to the resumption of relations between the board and the Tramwaymen’s Union, and secondly, to the subsidiary difficulty about the employment of workmen on the new tram extensions which had now been righted. “The men’s representatives have realised the difficulties the board has had to contend with in dealing with the new works, and that some flexibility in regard to employment was necessary,” Mr. Alium continued. It was owing to their attitude that the assessors had been able to come to an agreement. Mr. E. H. Potter, who seconded the chairman’s motion for the adoption of the new agreement, said that (he men had been very reasonable, particularly Mr. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Alliance of Dabour, who also had attended on behalf of the union. Mr. Alium said he understood that the tramwaymen had also adopted the agreement. TERMS OF AGREEMENT The assessors for the board were Messrs. J. A. C. Alium, G. Ashley and E. H. Potter, and for the union Messrs. Carr, Martin, Jennings and Liddell, with Mr. Roberts, of Wellington. It was agreed that the agreement be renewed for a term of 12 months. Within the first four months the union representatives shall confer with the management “about certain matters” and the management will then report to the board’s assessors. New employees are to become members of the Tramways Union. It was further agreed that men employed up to three months may be dismissed without notice; that after three months and up to six months’ service employees shall receive three days’ notice and after six months’ service one week’s notice. Stand-by time will be paid in wet weather, i.e. two hours to casual employees. Free tickets shall be supplied to employees for use to and from work. There shall be no obligation on the employer to provide waterproof capes. A conference between representatives of the Local Bodies Labourers’ Union, the tramwaymen’s union and the board agreed that facilities be granted the .men in transferring from the first named union to the tramways union at no cost or inconvenience to the men concerned.