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TRAM STRIKE TAKES
NEW TURN
Federal Union May
Take Charge
VITAL MEETINGS
IN MELBOURNE
MELBOURNE, January 14.
The Australian Council of the Tramways Em-
ployes' Association may take the control
of the dispute which has deprived Mel-
bourne of tram transport since January 4
out of the hands of the Victorian execu
tive of the union if the deregistration ap
plication, threatened by the Melbourne
Tramways Board, is lodged with the Fede
ral Arbitration Court.
The deregistration of the union, which will be con
sidered by the board tomorrow, would automatically
involve the tramway systems of New South Wales,
South Australia, and Tasmania os those States'
unions are branches off the Australian Tramway
and Motor Omnibus Employes' Association, which
is the body registered with the court.
A special emergency meeting of the Australian coun
cil of the union will be held in Melbourne on Friday.
Delegates from other States were summoned to
night by telephone.
Secret Ballot Plan
Secret ballots in unions to
guard against lightning
strikes will be incorporated
in the Emergency Powers
Bill to be introduced in the
Victorian Parliament tomorrow.
The Bill is being introduced
to counter a general transport
stoppage if other unions take
direct action in support of the
tramway strikers.
An assurance that the Gov
ernment would not use the
legislation provocatively nor to
attack organised trade union-
Ism was given by the Premier
(Mr. Hollway) tonight The
powers were needed to protect
the public against unauthorised
lightning strikes which had dis
rupted essential services too
often in the past two years, he
raid.
No further'consideration was
given by Cabinet today to the
offer by A—sett Transport in
dustries to buy the Tramways
Board's bus services.
MT. Hollway said that his own
opinion was that the board's
bus routes could be handed over
to private enterprise which al
ready operated most suburban
passenger buses. It would be
sound policy for the Govern
ment to convert losses into pro
fits as Ansetts had promised.
No move was made today to
wards a settlement of the strike.
Although the Government is!
strong enough in both Houses
to pass legislation enforcing
secret ballots in unions, it is not
expected that it will attempt to
break the tram strike by insist
ing on a ballot in the Tramway
Employes"* Association. j
It is by no means certain,
however, that emergency trans
port will be provided while only
tram men are on strike. It is
believed that the measure would
be rushed through Parliament
and emergency transport ar
ranged immediately only if
trains stopped and a general
transport tie-up resulted.
The Legislative Assembly is
expected to pass the legislation
by Friday or Saturday, but the
Government in^-nds ->r the
moment, to alloV a iu_ soate
The Legislative Council, may
not approve'it untfi^sorne-tarne
next week. ... ;~c.
Other effects of the BUI will
be to give', the Government
power to operate such essential
services as gas, electricity,
sewerage^-nd. water -supply, in
addition to transport In time of
public emergency.
Other vital moves tomorrow
will be:—
A mass meeting of tramwaymen
and a possible march of
strikers on Parliament House.
A decision by the Melbourne
Tramways Board whether to
withdraw concessions worth
£428,000 a year -which it has
fiven to tramwaymen.
Yesterday the chairman of
the board (Mr. H. H. Bell)
threatened the strikers with the
loss of the concessions, which
include double time for Sun
days and non-contributory
death and retiring gratuities,
unless work was resumed to
morrow morning.]
Support For Strikers
There is further evidence l
of a general line up of'
unions in support of thel
tramwaymen, and against 1
the Government's emergency _
transport proposals. I
The vigilance committee otf.
the Building Trades Federation J
decided today that if the Gov- '
eminent brought down legisla
tion Interfering with the rights
of the trade union movement,
unions affiliated with the l ede- '
ration would be asked to call'
a 24-hour stop-work meeting on'
all Jobs. 1
The federation demanded <
that a commission of enquiry
be set up immediately to inves- 1
tigate the actions of the Tram- :
ways Board and that, meanwhile,'
the chairman of the board (Mr. ?
Bell) be suspended from office.
It also demanded that the
Federal Government should
have the tramways dispute taken
over by a conciliation commis
sioner other than Mr. A. S.
Blackburn, VC.
Representatives of metal trade '
unions at a meeting today pro
mised full support to the tram
waymen.
Meetings of the Bakers' Union
and the State executive of the
Federated Clerks' Union also
carried resolutions supporting
the tramwaymen.
A special meeting of the State
management committee of the
Gas Employes' Union will be
held on Monday to consider the
Government emergency meas
ures.
The Australian Railways
Union, the Federated Engine
drivers and Firemen's Associa
tion, the Motor Transport
Union and members of the Aus
tralian Workers' Union have
already declared their support
for the strikers.
Finance Appeal
The executive of the Trades
Hall Council will consider to
morrow a request by the Tram
ways Employes' Association for
permission to appeal to all
unions for financial assistance.
Railway services are almost
certain to be involved in the
stoppage if the Government at
tempts to introduce emergency
transport.
ARU leaders are known to be
lieve that in such circumstances
only a quick widening of the
strike could win the tramway
men's demands and force a
speedy return to work.
A special lunch-hour meeting
of Newport powerhouse em
ployes will be held tomorrow to
consider the dispute. The
powerhouse supplies electricity
for trams and suburban trains.
The Victorian secretary of the
ARU (Mr. J. J. Brown) received
a telegram today from the New
South Wales secretary of the
JOHN WlPER—Tomato Sauce,
home-made flavor—delicious.
(Advt.)
union (Mr. Ferguson, MLC), de
claring New South Wales soli
darity with the Victorian ARU
in supporting the tramway
men's demands.
A meeting of employes at the
State Electricity Commission
powerhouse at Richmond car
ried a resolution today condemn
ing the attitude of the Hollway
Government.
Loss Of All Rights
If a move to deregister the
tramways union were successful,
the awards of the Australian
Tramway and Motor Omnibus
Employes' Association would be
cancelled.
Only preliminary steps have
so far been taken toward de
registration. The legal ad
viser of the Tramways' Board
, bas been instructed to prepare
the necessary papers.
The next sitting of the Arbi
[ tration Court has been arranged
i for February 24, but it could as
semble earlier for an emer
gency.
If it is deregistered, a union
i ceases to be an organisation or
. corporation under the Act,
. loses ail legal protection of its
industrial entity and loses any
i legal right to enforce its rules
ior collect dues or levies from
i members.
The secretary of the Federal
body (Mr. R. R. Broadby) said
: that Friday's council meeting
i had been called at the request
: of the NSW branch of the union
! to review and act in the tram
ways dispute. It was the re
sponsibility of the council to
i safeguard the union's award,
be said.
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