FIRE-FIGHTERS' UNION.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1775, 13 June 1913, Page 6

FIRE-FIGHTERS' UNION.

COUNCIL VIEWS. Councillor Fitzgerald dm* the attention of the Mayor, and the City Council last night to tho fact that the men of the (Wellington City Fire Brigade had formed themselves into a union, and registered under the Arbitration Act. The Mayor replied that he was aware oi 'the fact. "And I think it very lnuoh to bo Tegretteil, ho said, that tho fire brigade nave sceir their way to form a mnion. The-fire brigade is not a competitive concern; it affects the life and property of the people of this community. If the City. Council, elected by popular franchise, cannot deal with the wages of the firo brigade, it does not say. much for our democracy. I think the council should go to tho Court and protest against tho registration of the union,,-or, if we cannot do that, we should ask the Court to throw the matter out altogether. Councillor Trcgear: I should like to know whether you think the council should: object.to the registration of the ' T T^ Tramways Union are in an ontirely different jMSition. . . . It voif cannot Jiave .discipline in your fare irlcade you had better hand over the brigade to a fire board at ( once, and lam d CouSr 1 litzge?aldf'l hold the same JfSin yourself, and rather more 6?ron"lv. ' I certainly think tho men 1 .«n fnlrl in very plain lan n uag© that they might havo consuFted .the City Cputibsfor? taking this drastic sitep. Councillor Fletcher sa,id he s=ion of opinion pven jittoranco to by the Mayor would, not go forth as the unirion of'tho council. 'The Mayor said the whole business, cilott with otheT accumulations, could be conVi'dered at a"special meeting, wluoh he proposed to call for next Thursday night.