DUNEDIN WITHOUT TRAMS AND BUSES

Grey River Argus, 2 June 1948, Page 4

DUNEDIN WITHOUT TRAMS AND BUSES

Council Adamant Dispute Over Pay of Acting-Drivers, DUNEDIN, June 1. All Dunedin city passenger services stopped at 2 p.m. yesterday as the result of a decision by the Tram-, way Union to strike until the City Council's transport committee receives a deputation to dispuss the dispute about the payment of act-ing-drivers. A secret ballot was taken and the decision to strike was carried by 240 votes to 45. A deputation to the engineer-man-ager (Mr L. C. Greig) had been informed that a union deputation would be heard only when trams and buses were again operating as usual. The union set up a strike committee of members of the executive. The tramway strike was continued this morning with motorists helning to transport work people and a few companies operating trucks for their employees. COUNCIL’S DECISION A special meeting of the City Council resolved not to meet the union representatives until work is resumed. If the services are not operating soon, said the transport committee chairman, Mr E. J. Anderson, another special meeting of the council will be requested, when plans which have already been prepared to meet the emergency, will be presented. The tramways union president, Mr W. B. Richards, replied that he expected the union to adhere to its decision not to resume until its demands are met. The dispute is to be reviewed at a special meeting of the union this afternoon. The national executive of the Tramways Union is reported to have endorsed the Dunedin union’s attitude.

Compulsory Conference Ordered by Minister of Labour

P.A. WELLINGTON, June 1. Hon. A. McLagan, Minister of Labour, referred to the Dunedin tramway dispute. He said:— “I have told the head of the Lacour Department in Dunedin to call a compulsory conference,-of the parties with himself* as chairman. The Minister had been asked if the Government were intervening in the dispute. He said that if either of the parties failed or refused, to attend, he would immediately appoint a tribunal, under the Strike and Lockout Emergency Regulations, to settle this dispute, which, in the interests of everyone concerned, including the oublic of Dunedin, should be settled at the earliest possible moment.