TRAMWAY DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 110, 3 February 1920, Page 2

TRAMWAY DISPUTE

A DRAFT AGREEMENT BALLOT OF TRAMWAYMEN PROPOSED The conference that has hcon considering the tramway dispute in Wellington this wcelc was concluded yesterday nttornoon. The tramway umlertnkiiigs represented were Auckland, Wellington, Christelnirch, Dunedin, Invereargill, New Plymouth, Wangnnui, Napier, lvelburn cable, ICaikorai cable, and Koslyn cable, The conference considered nn offer made by tho employers. Certain amendments Were ma'de. nnd the rpjj-c- ■ 6entatives of the tramway workers then | agreed to put tho offer before the men and arrange for a ballot on the question of its acceptance. If an industrial' agreement is entered into before March 1> 1920, the rates of TOge6 and overtime therein are to be pnfd as from February 1, 1920, all other conditions to come into operation threo months after t'he signing of the agreement, which is to liavo a currency of two years. | The terms of the agrc-emept are as i follow.'— Wages. 1. Motormen, gripmen .. (including drivers of traek-cleaners and freiglit cars), first and second years, Is. 7d. per hour; over two years, Is. Bd. Conductors (including attendants; on track-1 clcaners and freight cars), first and j second years. Is. G!d.; over two years, Is. 7d. Car adjusters and examiners, Is. 7id. (dav); Is. S-'.d. (night). Pitmen, Is. 6Jd. (day); ' Is. 7!d: (night). _ Car clcaners, Is. (day); Is. 7d. (niffht). Labourers and track-cleaners, Is. 7d. Blacksmiths' strikers, Is. 7d. lermanent way repairers, Is. 7Jd. Overhead linesmen, Is. BUI. us?istant linesmen, Is. 7<1.; emergency linesmen, Is. SJd. Motor-wagon drivers, .Is. 7id. Arc welders, first three months, , Is. 7Jd.'; thereafter, Is. 9d. Permanent way air tampers, Is. BJd. Signalmen operating magnetic control signals, Is. Sd. Trackmen (where weekly wage includes overtime and Sunday work), i-t ss. per week. Cable car linesmen and ropemen, Is, Sd. Assistant linesmen (cnble car). Is. C{d. Firemen, Is. 9.U1. Switchboard and substation attendants, Is. Bid. Pumphouse attendants, <C-t per week. Greasers, • Is. 7Jd. Trimmers, Is. 7id. Conveyor attendants, Is. 7id.. :Dynamo, attendants, Is. 9HI. " . Hours of Work, 2. Motormen, Conductors and- Gripmen. —(a) A minimum of 9G hours, shall be provided each fortnight of not less than 8 hours for each day for twelve days, except that—(b) Men shall be entitled lo each alternate Sunday off when Sunday work is included in the 96-hour fortnight, and employees shall be allowed one working day off duty in lieu of such Sunday work. The employer, shall have the riijht to call men hack for duty on such day off at overtime rates, (e) All .work dono over and above 8 hours in i any ono day shall bo paid for at time and a half rates, (d) All work done on Sundays to be paid for at time and a half rates. Men volunteering to work on a Snndar when Siich day is not included in their 96-hour fortnight shall be paid a: minimufn of four hours, or if they report for duty and are not required to work, shall lie paid for two hours. This elnuso shall not apnly 'ih the tiise. rf cable tramway employees engaged on repair work, (e) All wprk done on Gond | Friday and Christmas Day 10, bo paid for' at double rates. 3. A straight shift shall bo.. .worked continuously except where a meal relief intervenes, Such relief shall not be deemed'to constitute a break® Where a meal relief is eiven, ,tho time .so taken shall not be paid v for. • •t. All broken shifts shall lie completed within 12 hours except on one week day in each week, nnd.except on statutory and. public holidays, when they shall not exceed 13 hours. This clause shall not apply to''workers'"performing callback or call-forward, duty., 5. All call-forward and call-hark 'duty to be paid for nt tin\e and a half rates, with a minimum of one and a half hours' jvork. 6. Motormen and conductors, on duty shall bo. paid whilst waiting at sport?, races, public functions,-and amusements,, unless signed off at a "home" depot. 7. All motormen shall bo allowed 10 minutes' time.for inspection (it cars when, taking it out-of shed and five minutes for taking it over from another .motorman on the road. jThoy shMl be allowed five minutes for signing off., 8. (a) Conductors shall be allowed ten minutes-each day for signing on and receiving their boxes and ten minutes each day for signing off. (I>) If a car'crew is ■ required to take from the depot a train which is not made .up. nn extra four mimitos shnll be allowed, (c) Travelling time as at present, arranged in each undertn'cinor to continue as at present. 9. Traffic employees shall not be signed off for less than one hour. ■. Changs of Duty. ' > 10. When an employee is required to perform various duties he shall be paid the rate of wages pertaining to tlio higher grade of work when so employed. Any motorman or conductor when not required for traffic shall (ill in his time on ear cleaning. When so engaged no alteration in his usual rate of pay will be made. In the event of an employee wishing to take up another man's duties by mutual arrangement, the employer shall not be required to pay for any overtime which may result. Holidays. 11. (a) Employees covered by this award' who aro regularly required 'to work on the majority of public and statutory holidays shall receive holidays in each year at full ordinary pay as follow:—After one year's service, S days; after two years' service. 9 days; after throe years' service, 10 days; after four years' service, 11 days; after five years' service, 12 days, (b) In tho case of motormen and conductors only, all the above holidays shall fall due on. March 31 in each year, mid shall be taken hefore March 31 in the year following. Employees shall be. allowed a proportion of holidays from dnte of engagement to March 31 following, nnd also from March 31 in any year to the date when he leaves the . service. Subject to the above adjustments, a'l holidivs' shnll be on ■ consecutive days, (c) Employees shnll not be required to take their holidays during the months of •Tune. .Tnly, and August, unless this involves the dismissal of men. -• Report's. i 12. (a) No charge laid by an officer against an employee shall be considered unless the intention to lay such achaigo be made known' to such employeo at the timo of such alleged offence, or as soon alter as practicable. Every charge shall be in writing, and shall be open to the inspection of the employee concerned before he is required to answer same. If in the opinion of the employer the charge has been sustained, tho employee shall bo notified, (b) In tho event of a report being made by any member of tho general public, against an employee, the employee shall bo furnislid with particulars within twenty-four hours of its being received. Tho employee shall answer such report within forty-eight hours of its notification to him, but before doing so ho shall bo entitled to sec and make a copy of the original, (e) No charge shall be preferred against an employee on tho complaint of any member of the general public, unless such complaint has been mado in writing by the person concerned, within threo days ; of the alleged offence. (d) In coinnuting time with respect to above clauses. Sflndays and holidays shall bo excluded. The time an employee may he away from duty shall i also be excluded, (e) For breaches of discipline or other offences the' manager of the undertaking may, in lieu of or in addition to inflicting suspension from duty as a punishment, reduce a motorman or conductor to any lower grade irrespective of length of service, (f) any employee ■shall bo permitted _lo call evidence in defence when nn inquiry is held by the employer, and the employer shall, should he deem it necessary, hnve the person making the complaint in attendance at such inquiry, f?) If. pending an'inquiry, an employee has been suspended,- nnd if he is exonerated, tho employee shall ho paid for

the time so lost at ordinary rates of payPromotions. 13. When any appointments are mafo in the service, preference shall be given to employees, subject, however, in all cases to tho seniority, suitability, capability, and record of the employee concerned—subject to the right of appeal conferred by the Tramways Amendment Act, 1010. This clause shall only apply to positions nfl'ectcd by this award. Preference. 1 14. (a) If the employer shnll hereafter engage any worker coming under tho scope of this aVard v \vho shall not be a member of tlfe union and who shall not become a member thereof within ono month after his engagement. and remains such member, the employer shall dismiss such worker from tho service if requested to do so by the union, provided there is then a member of tho union i equally qualified to perform the wo"k recmired to be done, and 'ready and willing to undertake the same, (b) T'lie. provisions of Hie foregoing clause shall operate only if and so long as the rules of the union shall permit any worker cohiinqr within the scope of this award of good character and sober habits to bccome a meniber of the union upon payment of an entrance fee not exceeding ss. upon a written application without ballot or other election, and to continue a member upon payment of subsequent contributions not. exceeding Gd. per week or (is. (Id. per quarter, (c) The union shall not allow any person to bo a member thereof.who is .not in. the employment of the undertaking; (d) No inspector or other officer of tho undertaking; shall lie ai member of tho ' union. In the event of a meniber of ! the union being appointed to the posii tion of inspector or any other office not ! provided for in the award., he shall imj mediately resign from the union, and Iho union shall forthwith accept, such, resignation. . Terms of Engagement. 15. (n) Not.less than one week's notice of termination of employment shall 1)0 given bv employee and employer; but this shall not apply to casuals and pro- . balionary conductors, wtoo may he disI missed without notice. (I>) The abovo , clauses shall not prevent the employer I dismissing any employeiTwithmit notieo i for a good and '.substantial .pause, (e) ! Casuals ' and probationary conductors i shall mean employees with less than 'three months' service. Passes. , IG. All men in uniform, or carrying passes to be provided for that purpose, 1 shall be allowed to travel free while ' going l to or returning from work. Employees carrying passes 1 must observe t'ho conditions printed thereon. Should any employee attempt to travel free at any other time, or to travel to and from work without uniform and without paying fare, 'or without producing the pass promptly and without delay, or H.'ak iu any way the conditions printed on tlie [lasses, the privilege shall be withdrawn in respcct of the employee concerned for a priod of ono month, and for a 'second oli'encc may be withdrawn altogether. Uniforms and Clothing. 17. All employers required to wear uniforms shall 1 be supplied with'them at , tho cost to the employer, the supply to ••bs a tunic, a cap, and a, pair of trousers annua!!}-, and an overcoat every two years. Waterproof overcoats and leggings shall ba provided for overhead men, trackmen, and' depot shunters. All uniforms and cuilliiiig shall remain ; the property of the employer. j . The agreement provides for the rcfcrri'ng 'of future disputes to a disputes ' committee consisting of three rcprsscntii- • fives of eaeli parly, who shall elect a chairman, the decision of the majority ,of the committee to lie binding. This 1 coniiiiiftee may refer tho dispute to ail .independent person. -If his reeomr mendiition is not accepted by the p.-tr-j ties, the dispute will be referred to a national disputes cnumittee, the deci- : sibn of this committee to be final.