TRAMWAY TROUBLE

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1280, 8 November 1911, Page 4

TRAMWAY TROUBLE

CONCILIATION TRIED. SETTLEMENT IN PROSPECT. The differenco of opinion between tho city tramway authorities and their employees in regard to working conditions and pav was yesterday brought beloic the Conciliation Cummi.ssioiicr (Mr. I', ilally) in order that an agreement might, if possible, be arrived at. Each of the interested parties was represented by three iissesi-ors and the City Council was represented lib" by an agent, ill tho iiel'.Min 01 Jir. jl. Culne (assiMunt tramway* engineer). The assessors iur I'tie 'Jrnnmoy liiiwn were .Messrs. A. biillierlnnd (secietary), it. i'liair, and W. 'J nmlin.wn. iUe.-srs. J. If. Palmer (Town Clerk), S. Kiciiiirdsoii (city Tramways Jvngineer), and J J. .M'Uulivray appeared as assesors tor Hie council. At opening Mr. Kiclmrdson stated that a meeting liad been held anil attended by tho tramway ollicers and tlio ollicers 01 (110 union, Mit they had failed to come lo ail agreement. Answering tho commissioner Mr. ib'tillierlund stated that the parties had lulled to agree as a wliolu upon the amount by whicti wages should be increased and al:-o in regard to working conditions. . Mr. Kichardson said this wus not quite correct. Tlio pui'Vies had agreed upon some 01 the clauses though not upon I lie proposals as a whole. At this stage it was decided to excludo the press irom the succeeding proceedings, The commissioner and assessors prooceui-d to consider tho union demands and the old agreement, in detail. Tlio morning sitting lasted Irom a.m. until shortly alter noon, when it was agreed to adjourn lor two hours. Mr. ilally announced during (he .adjournment' that it had been agreed to make a recommendation in regard to hours of working lor niotormen and conductors, car adjusters, linesmen, firemen, greasers, trimmers, handy men, permanent way repairers, engine and smiths' strikers, pitmen, litters' labourers, car cleaners, emergency linesmen, pomt-men, and trackmen. Several grades of employees, sucli as coaoli workers, plumbers, electricians', litters, turners, carpenters, general labourers, and others are all recognised in tho agreement, but aro subject to their own awards. Overtime rates wero agreed to on practically the samo lines a-a under the old conditions with tho exception that it was ugreed that permanent way repairers should be paid time and a half for work done between 11 p.lll. and 7.45 a.m. Hitherto, they havo worked-8 hours during any part of the 21 hours, but under tne new agreement will put in eight' hours' work between 7.15 a.m. and 0 p.m. on five week days and 1 hours between 7.15 a.m. and noon 011 Saturday. A number of working clauses were added to the existing provisions in tho case ol powerhouse employees. iJonble time is to be paid for any work done by tramway employees 011 Good Friday. It is to bo recommended that on Christmas Day provision be made for a service to meet the ordinary trains and steamers as they arrive. Apart from this, the service on Christinas Day is to bo limited, and is not to exceed ail hourly service. Double lime is to be paid for work on Christmas Day. The Commissioner and assessors met again at i.tr> p.m., and continued their discussion of the agreement. At tho afternoon sitting Mr. Kichardson, who was suffering from a slight indisposition, was repluced as an assessor for tho council by Mr. Cable, who had previously acted as council agent. 1 When tho meeting adjourned at 5 p.m. Mr. ilally stated that practically everything had been dealt with save wages. Ail arrangement had been conic to with ! regard lo 'men travelling from one depot I to another and also in respect of signing on and off. Under the agreement arrived at there is to be 110 spare list. All broken shifts are to be completed within twelve hours except on Saturday, when they are to bo completed within thirteen hours. No employee is to be required (o sign off lor,less than one hour oil any one working day. An agreement was also come to as to tbe number of holidays to be given to tlio various grades of workers connected with the tramwa.v system. The holiday period is to range from eight to twelve days per year. Mctormen, conductors, and powerhouse men employed 011 shift, who havo been in the service for over three years, are to bo given nine days' holiday; if they have served for over live years, ten days' holiday; and if they have served over seven years, twelve da'ys' holiday. Satisfactory understandings have "been como to in regard to meal reliefs, broken shifts and reports against employees. A preference clause was agreed to. " . Summarising tho position, Mr. Hally slated that with 0110 exception—that of wages—all the claims made by the Tramways Union had been considered, anil nn adjustment satisfactory (0 lwtii parties had been made. "There i.s a big prospect of a complete settlement being arrived at," concluded tho Commissioner. A further sitting, at which the question of wages will be dealt with, will be held to-day, either in tho forenoon or in tho afternoon.