NO ACTIVITY

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 310, 25 September 1918, Page 8

NO ACTIVITY

TRAMWAY DISPUTE IN SUSPENSE

CARS GO QUICKER

There was a distinct improvement in the- running of the cars yesterday, compared with the pace maintained on the three previous days. It is understood that tho tramwaymon do not wish to antagonise the general public by causing so much individual personal inconvenience, so the pace was put on a little yesterday, and the result on the whole was a slightly improved service. ,

The Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luko), when seen late in the afternoon, said that) the Tramways Manager , (Mr. W. H. Morton) had reported that the service was slightly improved as the result of the increased speed of the cars, but the schedule was not being adhered to. At present the service was not suffering materially, but the public were being inconvenienced.

Avarago Pay, A statement has been prepared showing the average rate of pay being received by all classes of niotormen and conductors, and the average length of overtime worked to secure the wages enumerated. A statement had been made that the men put in most of their overtime on tho a.m. shift and only an hour or two on tho p.m. shift. As a matter of .fnet, about half tho overtime worked is put in on Sundays, and it was frequently the case for a man to ask for more overtime. Seldom, indeed, was there a request for less. Here are the average (fortnightly) wages worked out for the two weeks ended July 16, 1918: — Average hours Average at over- Average ord. time earnings. ■ Grade. rates, worked. * Motormen. ' ■ 42 at Is. 4d. ... 99 17 £8 12 0 36 at Is. 3Jd. ••• 99* 17-i 8 8 0 13 at Is. 3d. ... 100 22 8 12 6 50 at Is. 2Jd.... 96 18 712 0 Conductors. 4at Is. 2Jd....' 104 • 21 £8 10 0 12 at Is. 2d. ... 102 22 8 3 4 Bat Is. 1id.... 99 27 8 2 2 140 at Is. 97 19J- 7 5 0 'Includes 5 per cent, war bonus. In addition to ihe above the men are provided with one good uniform, an overcoat, and cap per annum. It will bo seen that the lowest-paid conductor has been in tho habit of earning at least £3 12s. 6d. per week.

Mr. Morton on the Overtime Question. Mr. W. H. Morton, General Manager, made the following statement yesterday:—"ln view of the many statements regarding the overtimeworked by the' men in the traffic department, it should be made clear that the amount of overtime which is now worked is duo principally to the restrictions which are placed on the working of the service by the conditions in the agreement. Similar conditions have existed under the terms of previous agreements. The restrictions consist principally in limiting the number of broken shifts which are absolutely necessary to cope with rushhour traffic. Only a small proportion of broken shifts to straight shifts is permitted. To sum up: The situation h that overtime worked in the Wellington tramway service could, to a very great extent, be abolished if certain restrictions now imposed by the agreement were removed or amended within reasonable limits. In thesouthern centres the same restrictions do not obtain, and the managements are not hampered in the arrangements of their' workings and in dealing with the .ordinary conditions of tramway traffic. The provisions of the Wellington agreement compel the management to arrange work at overtime rates which should reasonably be done at ordinary rates.'

THE WAR REGULATIONS. It is understood that the matter of prosecuting tlie men under the. War ■Regulations dealing with . essential industries has been referred to the Government for consideration;. The matter is one that rests with the Cabinet.