DISPUTE NOT SETTLED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22506, 14 September 1938, Page 10

DISPUTE NOT SETTLED

Position of “Leave” Men FIRE BOARD’S DECISION Order Claimed To Be Ultra Vires The controversy between the Christchurch Fire Board and lts employees which began last May about the calling out of “leave” men is still unsettled. A month ago the board, after failing to agree with the employees’ union about the conditions on which “leave” men could be called out, decided to issue a brigade order requiring “leave’ men on the premises at the time of a call, to turn out to a general alarm. Last night the board received a letter from the union’s solicitors claiming that the order was ultra vires. The board decided to enforce the order; but it also agreed to adopt, as soon as possible, a proposal which, it was said, would cause the minimum of hardship to “leave” men. . . The effect of the board’s decision of a month ago was to require all men on the station premises to turn out on an alarm, the men’s proposal being that a special call should be given to “leave” men so that they would not be called out at night on a false alarm. The board now proposes to assign some of its staff, to be known as the “flying squad,’ to turn out to calls outside the .city belts. If it is found that the full strength of the brigade is needed, “leave” men will then be required to turn out. Part of the brigade premises will be set aside for the '“flying squad” so that the rest of the bridgade will not be disturbed; but if a call is received at night from inside the city belts all men will be required to turn out on the first alarm. Objection to Order Outlining the dispute between the board and the men since the previous meeting, the chairman (Mr T. M. Charters) said the union had objected to the brigade order affecting leave men that had been adopted by the board a month ago, and a letter had been received from the union’s solicitors, objecting to the order on the ground that it was against the judgment of Mr Justice Page and therefore ultra vires. The "leave” men, however, were prepared to turn out on a 1 differential system of alanps. They felt they would otherwise be called out on false alarms, and they wanted a special call. It had been explained to the men, however, that the potentialities oi danger in a tire within the city belts between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. were such that it was impossible for anyone m authority to say just what was involved in such a call, and it was therefore 'essential that the full strength of the brigade should turn out. The union’s solicitors had asked for a conference between representatives of the board and the union. This had been* considered by the executive of the board and a reply had been sent reiterating the board’s attitude. To this the union’s solicitors had replied stating that unless the brigade order was suspended between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the request for a conference must stand. “It simply boils down to a question of who is going to say what is the safe procedure for calling out the brigade,” added Mr Charters. ‘My opinion is that the only safe alarm is the general alarm to which everyone must turn out. The recommendation about the ‘flying squad’ would mean the elimination of most of the difficulties of which the men complain. Any city call would be a general alarm, but suburban calls would go to the ‘flying squad’ and would not disturb any ordinary or ‘leave’ men That is as far as the board should go. To do otherwise would be to go against the advice of the experts.”

Support For Request Mr E. A. Sharp said that the only possible way of reaching a solution was by agreeing •to the union’s request for a conference. Mr K. W. Robinson; I suggest that this brigade is going to be run either by the board or not by the board. We cannot, have a triangular contest with lawyers telling us what to do. I suggest that we reply to the union’s solicitors—if any reply is necessary—telling them .hat we propose to keep the brigade order in force, and that the recommendation about the “flying squad” has been approved. Mr Charters: That is all we can do. If the dispute goes on there is machinery for taking it to the Court for settlement. With Mr Sharp objecting, the board decided that the brigade order should stand until accommodation was provided for the “flying squad.” There were present at the meeting Messrs Charters, Robinson, Sharp, E. H. Andrews, and M. J. Russell.