AUCKLAND TRAMS RUN AGAIN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 215, 9 June 1920, Page 8

AUCKLAND TRAMS RUN AGAIN

:: TERMS OF SETTLEMENT

..MEN GUARANTEE TO MAINTAIN SERVICE

!' By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, June 8. The tramway strike is now off, and all the cars are running to-night. The following, official statement dealing with the settlement of the dispute has been ! issued:— On Wednesday, June 2, the secretary of the Tramway Union advised the i Mayor that "race speoials" wero not likely to be run by the tramway men on ; the following day, June 8. Tho Mayor < intimated that the council could not relieved the men from such service, and that any failure on their part to carry out this portion of their duty would ho considered by the council'as a matter requiring disciplinary measures. The union r secretary advised the Mayor later in the day that several members of the tram-, way. executive had been advised of the t Mayor's view and understood the position. On Thursday, June 3, the general manager visited the Epsom bnm on ac count of advice received that the men told off for rnco traffic declined to perform these duties; and consequently tho cars for such did not leave the barn. Tho council viewed this ns a direct chal< lenge to the authority of its management and accordingly accepted same, also tho ) consequent refusal of other men of tbn servico to perform, their work as a result of the earlier stoppage." The result was that on the morning of Juno i the tramway, services entirely ceased. Tho question which.. confronted the council now was due recognition of the council's authority and due regard to tha , public interests by the earliest resump-. tion of the service. This opened up the <■' question as to the terms on which the men might resutno work. In the coutso , of the deliberations of the conference the representatives of the tramwaymen asserted that the stoppage on June 3 arosa owing to an unfortunate misunderstanding by union officials in the interpretation of communications between Auckland and Wellington, which led to an unintended action, not in any way premeditated, and upon which interpretation the officers of the local union acted, but which subsequently provod to be contrary to any intention on the part of the Dominion, Advisory Board, anfl not in accord with the judgment of tha,4ccal union. The circumstances precipitated a crisis before the same could be arrested. and once tho first group of men had by their voluntary action left their jobs, the others in due course followed. , The officers of the union express regret for this action, and the men desire the 6ame to be considered apart altogether from their ordinary attitude to the sor- ' vice or the customary discharge of their duties. Tho men hereby give and the council accept an assurance that in future the tramway service will be operated in accordance with the terms of the agreement of May i, 1920, and under tho instructions of the management. The council on its part in view of the position has no desire to victimise tho men, and it has been influenced' by this to a settlement in terms as follow, taken in conjunction with the foregoing statement, which will adequately establish the authority of the council over the tramways and allow of the reinstatement of the servico immediately. In its decision tho council ihas had regard to the loss and inconvenience which is being imposed npon the public by the discontinuance of the service and the fact that its suspension is not justified for a period beyond that neoessary to establish tho council's position. , Having regard to all the circumstances which have been fully investigated, and in 'accordance with, the foregoing statei ment, both parties hereby agree to a settlement of the difficulty on the following : terms HI) Tho council agrees that the men .return to work forthwith, but they shall not receive pay, for time lost;; (2) .the men agree to perform all tramway "duties, including- race : traffic, which ..may from time to time be allotted to them by, the management; (3) this set- > " tlement shall be operative forthwith, and !'■ the terms'of-this memorandum, shall be (. '_ jihoorpbxated in and become part of the ," ogreenient.;of. May 4, 1920, between the u council'and the Tramway Union.