Rail Workers Stand Firm; Trams To Help

Wanganui Chronicle, 26 December 1950, Page 5

Rail Workers Stand Firm; Trams To Help

Canterbury

CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night (PA). —Railway services in Canterbury stopped at midnight on Saturday and only nine railwaymen from the ranks of the strikers worked on Sunday morning on handling the inter-island steamer train from Lyttelton to Christchurch. Since then the stoppage has been complete, and no member of the A.S.R.S. or Railway Tradesmen’s Association has reported for duty.

With four dissenters, a mass meeting of 900 railwaymen, in the Civic Theatre on Sunday morning, expressed confidence in the executives of the striking unions and affirmed their determination to remain on strike until success with lheir demands was achieved.

A strike committee of rank and file members was elected by lhe meeting to conduct the strike in the Christchurch area and to co-operate with branches of the unions, in other areas. The strike committee met on Christmas Day and passed a motion urging the national executives:—”To resist any attempt whatsoever to capitulate,” and demanding the actiVe aKiitance of the Federation of Labour and the Transport Workers Federation, “as we insist that the wage standards of all workers will be affected by this dispute.” A mass meeting of the strikers wiH be held at 10,30 am tomorrow In Latimer Square and similar meetings wiH be held daily during the strike. The -joint secretaries of the strike committee reported that the Christchurch Tramway Employees Union and the Canterbury Drivers Union had immediately offered their full support t 0 the striking railwaymen. A committee representative of the strikers and the tramwaymen and drivers had been set up to screen the work done by drivers and tramwaymen, to ensure that they did no other than their normal transport work. Provided taxi drivers screened their passengers, the committee had agreed to limited transport to and from the inter island steamer and Christchurch.

“This is a trial to s«p how far we can assist those who need assistance, but if we find that the plan Is being abused we shall stop it,” said the joint secretaries

The committee has asked that taxi passengers be limited to women with children and old and sick people. The strike committee will confer with representatives of the Railway Officers Institute tomorrow morning. So far the Institute has instructed Its members to do no other than their erdlnary normal work, and no breaches ef the instruction have been reported. The picketing o f railway property has been arranged.