TRAMWAY STAFF SHORTAGE

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24899, 12 June 1946, Page 5

TRAMWAY STAFF SHORTAGE

LOAD AT PEAK HOURS WELLINGTON. EXAMPLE NOT FOLLOWED The Christchurch Tramway Board is not yet following the example set by the Wellington City Council in trying to import labour from overseas, especially for tramway work. Wellington is advertising abroad for 50 employees to help to man the corporation tramways. The staffing position in Christchurch, said the tramways manager, Mr H. E. Jarman yesterday, is still causing concern. The effect of a staff shortage on peak hours is especially noticed in Christchurch in the winter, when many fair weather cyclists forsake their bicycles until the weather is better, adding materially to the overcrowding on trams. No further women are being added to the board’s traffic staff, although a number are still retained as conductors. A difficulty about the employment of women on trams is that by regulation they cannot be promoted to tram or bus driving, and the job thus carries no prospects. A difficulty in tramway traffic staffing is that everyone must begin on the bottom rung—as conductors, progressing from then on to drivers of two-men trams, then drivers of oneman trams, and finally to bus-drivers. All vacancies must be filled from below, under the award, so that before new bus drivers can be appointed more men must come on as conductors.

The peak for tram services is at certain set hours, and of brief duration as a rule. City employers and theatres in Christchurch have not at any time worked to staggered hours and the resultant peaks, at times when employees finish work, and when the city goes to the pictures, are comparatively brief. Overtime is still being worked in Christchurch by traffic staff employees of the tramways, but not to the same extent as previously.