TRAMWAYMEN’S CONFERENCE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 16611, 8 December 1919, Page 2

TRAMWAYMEN’S CONFERENCE.

VIEWS OF TRANSPORT WORKERS

BV TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT. WELCINGTON, Dec. 6.

Since the failure of the Tramwaymen’s Conference with the employers there have been fairly persistent rumours of trouble brewing, but in reliable quarters these are discounted. , It is announced in the current issue of the New Zealand Transport Worker that, following the failure of' the conference, the dispute Eae been placed unreservedly in the hands of file New Zealand Transport Workers’ Advisory Board.

The Transport Worker contains some interesting comments on the proceedings of the conference, which was of a private nature. “On perusing the counter-proposals,” it is stated, “it is readily seen that they had been to a. very great extent dictated by the representatives of the Christchurch Tramway Board, and, as many of the condition® laid down, would mean a retrogression of ten years for some of the other centres, it can' readily be understood that they evoked no enthusiasm. In addition it was proposed that different districts be placed in three groups with different rates of pay, obviously a clumsy and not quite original way of trying to create the antithesis of unity-r-namely dissension. This in itself strongly pointed to the conclusion that the employers were not anxious to promote a settlement. In fact it seemed to be that those of the employers who were of a reasonable frame of mind allowed their side of the conference to be dominated by the destructive propensities of those who were adverse to a settlement, and in doing so they probably realise now that they took a false step. “The men’s representatives, after consideration of the counter-proposals, 1 intimated that they could not entertain the grouping proposal, and that, even the highest scale offered was far, and away too low -to meet the cost of subsistence. The other side were care' ful not to commit themselves by saying that anyone could live in decency on the terms offered, but reference was made to the fact that a large proportion of men had the opportunity of working overtime on Sundays and other occasions. After several adjournments the employers finally withdrew one of the groups, but still insisted upon two, Wellington being plac ed one half-penny per hour above tin other centres. The rates of pay offered by the employers ranged from Is 6d to Is 8d per hour, being 3d ana 4d respectively short of the rates contained in the men’s proposals.”