The Railway Strike

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3475, 1 May 1920, Page 5

The Railway Strike

STRIKE INCIDEN TS.

“WE WANTED A -STRAIGHT-OUT ' EIGHT.”

Members of the Wellington locomotive men’s association executive, stated on Thursday that they Were much disappointed that another milway society had joined in the strike. “We Wanted a straight-out fight with the Government,” said one member, “and we are quite confident that we could have secured a Victory without the help’ of the A.S.R.S. However, we recognise that the A.S.R.S. has its own grievances with the department. We recognise, also, that the A.S.R.S. could not have held their members to work. They approved of the action we had taken, for it seemed to them, as it seemed to us, that a strike was the only method of ensuring a fair hearing of ‘our claims. The fight is On, and both organisations will go through with it.”

ATTTITUDE OF RETURNED SOLDIERS.

I NO SCABS HERE. “A rumour has reached me,” said [Mr J. McKenzie at a meeting of returned soldiers at Wellington on Thursday night, “that the Prime Minister has appealed to the Returned‘ Soldiers’ Association‘ for, ‘loyal lalbo-ur’ so that he might be able to run the railways. I desl”re—~— , Voices: Rot! There are no “scabs” lhere. , Mr McKenzie: I desireto know if the Government or the Prime Minister has approached the association, and, if so, what attitude the executive has taken up, or will take up. Members: We could not deal with it. It is not in the constitution. Mr McKenzie: I want to know. The newly-elected chairman, Mr W. Perry, asked Mr A. Curtayne, a member of the retiring executive, if a*communication such as that referred to had been received, and he was answered in the negative This did not satisfy Ml‘ McKenzie, who Wanted to know what the execu-' tive would say if the request were made. Mr Perry: I do not seevhow it could concern‘ us. It-. is a matter for the iz_‘lc‘lividual’——q;- . - A ‘Voices: No “scabs” here———

! Mr _Perry: But if the invitation is ;extended I will do my best to rule ;that the association cannot deal with jif. E- ' ' i'’' '‘ ‘ . ‘A “FORCIBLE PROTEST.” [ One engine-driver at» least had an unpleasant experience when driving a mixed train at Vvellington .on'Weduesday. The train that had.to‘be shunted at Petone on to the Gear Companyfs siding. I All went fairly jwell until passing the railway WorkEshops,..when suddenly the engine and ithe men on the footplate Awere"pelted jwith matter The engine,. after the attack, presented a mottled‘appeal--ance, but the driver and fireman escaped with a “dab” Or two UNWILLING WORKERS . Whenthe few trains which, were run on‘Wednesday reached some of the stations, the porters who were on duty did not, it is said, lend their cooperation during shunting operations. In several instances the brakes on Wagons were put hard on, and one‘ engine-driver had a difficult task set him in backing his train.

OBJECTED T 0 STRIKES. It is reported that two employees of the Petone Workshops refused to leave their employment when requested to do so. Th men in question explained that they did not hold with strikes as a means to settle adispute, and on-that ground objected to take part in one’ A.S.R.S. BALLOT. '

’ The, executive of the A.S.R.S. state that it has no objection to the Prime Minister appointing a. responsible officer of the Government to scrutinise the figures of the (ballot which was taken amongst the members of the society on -the question of a strike. In some instances it was questioned whether the men were, as stated, unanimously in favour of a strike, but it is claimed that the men were “solid” for the action taken, and the figures (but not the personal details) of the voting can be verified by an inspection of the official results. , g.- ' UNION TELEGRAMS. THEIR STOPPAGE DENIED. .._..... ' A STRICT CENSORSHIP ALLEGED.

A common topic among raiiwaymen at . Wellington on Thursday was an ‘allegation’ that the postal authorities ‘were holding b‘ack"tele,gl-ams, and ex-

t-nu-........_.....v .... ercisillg a strict censorship over all mail matter sent through the post oflice by the ofifcials of the'L_ocolnotive Engineers’, Firemen, anil Cleaners’ Association, and the Amalgamated Society ‘Of Railway Servants. It was freely stated that in order to send their communications from one end of the Island to the other the associations concerned had adopted other means which involved the engaging of a number of mtotor-cars.

On Tmn-sday, Mr W. McArley (secretary to the E.F.C.A., said to a Times reporter:——“We have reason to believe that our telegrams to the various branches are not being delivered as expeditiously as they should be. We feel that there has been undue delay somewhere, and because of our suspicions we have inaugurated at special mot-or service throughout the North Island in order to ensure the utmost secrecy of our communications {with the branches. We recognise the lseriousne.-is of our charges and the seriousness of the step we have decided to take. Our telegraphic messages we think, have been tapped. One urgent message sent to Auckland has not been replied to. The message was such that it necessitated a reply immediately. We can only believe [that the telegram was never deliverled.— We are making further inquiries, ‘and we may make a definite statement later. ’.’ Mr M. J. Mack (general secretary of the A.S.R{S.) stated that he had been warned at least two days ago that telegrams were being diverted to the Prime ‘Minister. At least three urgent telegrams forwarded last evening had not reached their destination this morning It is stated at Petone that the official telegram announcing to the Petone branch of the A.S.R.S. the decision to strike, which was sent out‘; last night, was» not received by. the} secretary, and that the message had} to‘ be sent finally over the telephone] ‘ The postal authorities deny, em-‘ phatically, that there is any truth ini the allegations, and state that the suggestion is ridiculously absurd. Telegrams which conform to the Act must be accepted by the postal authorities and must not be interfered with in_ any way.

DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAFFIC AND LOCO. MEN.

SETTLEMENT IN OWN VVAY.

VVELLINGTON, This Day.

Some difference to-f opinion seems to have arisen between the A.S.R.S. and the med. men. Delegates from the former waited on the E.F.C.A. with the object of reachin‘g an understanding. The Loco. Executive said the traffic men must please themsel— Yes about resuming work and running the trains with substitute drivers. It was the loco. men’s strike, and they intended to get a settlement in their ownuway.

V At a meeting of A.S.R.S. men statements Were freely made «by members that they; would work the trains whoever they were manned by.

RAILVVAYS DAILY LOSS.

S-‘TRIKERSWXVAGES £4OOO DAILY.

The Railway Department is losing over £SOOO daily by the strike in revenue, irrespective of the fact that no wages are being paid to the men who are out. Besides this there is a certain amount of deterioration going on throu;_,rll the want of care and" supeiu vision. The daily -earnings of the railway lines in the North Island is approximately £10,000,' but it is difficult to arrive at the net. loss, as clerical expenses and material and capital costs have to be taken into consideration. The Wages bill of the men on strike is estimated‘ at £4OOO daily, and when the salaries paid to the First Division Jere added to the loss, it amounts to a, considerable sum daily.

CONFERENCE BETWEEN MR MASSEY AND THE EXECUTIVE.

NO DECISION REACHED.

WELLINGTON, April 30.

A conference took place between Mr Massey and the exechtive of the loco~ motiée men at 2.45. There were hopes that a settlement would he arrived at without great. difliculty, and rumours were telegraphed out to the efi’eet that it had actually come to pass. but at 5 o’clock the conference had ifot come to an agreement ,and the men withdrew. This is the present position.

“The executive of the E.F.C.A. is firm in its attitude,” said the secretary to a Dominiom reporter to-night. “We have made claims we have considered fair and just. We consider tliat failing settlement on the lines We have suggested the alternative is for the Government to go through the sc'hedule.of wages and conditions point by point, and arrive at a settlement. We are anxious to bring the dispute to a speedy settelment, and with that end in view we are prepared to accept fine Conciliation Commission proposed by Mr Mus:sey.- If‘ we are .to go through the wages and conditions item by/ite'ni; it will take a eonsidembie

time and prolong the dispute, We met {TI6 Prime Minister today in What we consider to be 2. fair way. We gave in to him on a good many points, or at least, We considered We did, and when we asked him to c.onc.ede one point. he would’ not do it. Tllat—-is where we stand to-night.” Mr MeArley added that the conference between the Prime Minister and the executive o fthe E.F.C.A. had broken down completely, and no proposal had yet been made for its resumption. He could not tell what future developments would be.

THE PRIME MINISTERS REPLY

VVELLINGTON, April 30.

The Prime Minister replied to-night lto the statement that the loco. men had given way on several points and that he had refused to give way on the one ooncessi-on asked of him. “All I can say,” he stated, “is that the points they are supposed to have co'nceded were of no value at all. What really happened was that, with the assistance of Sir Francis Bell, I simply straightened up their language and ideas, and put them in workable form, in which shape I was prepared to accept them. I offered to Mr McArley and his friends practically’ the same conditions» which the other branches of the service have accepted. He asked for other concessions, which I found it impossible to grant.‘ The granting of the concessions to the locomotive men would have been grossly unfair to the other railwaymen and to other branches of the public service.”