Bus Strike Over Relief Labour: , West Bromwich Dispute Continues
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BUS services over a wide area round the Medway towns had been at a standstill for nearly six days when The Commercial Motor closed for press on Wednesday, because of the strike of 750 busmen employed by Maidstone and District Motor Services, Ltd., and a subsidiary, Chatham and District Traction Co.
The Maidstone and District busmen struck on Wednesday of last week because, they said, inspectors drove buses during some of the men's rest periods. They were joined by the Chatham workers on Thursday.
Mr. W. Dravers, general manager of Maidstone and District, said last
week that the trouble was over the recent tribunal award which varied conditions for drivers and conductors, Although the award had been accepted by the men's union, the men at the Gillingham depot had refused to work overtime unless the conditions were altered.
"Owing to the ban, certain journeys each day are not being run. This is due to a shortage of about 15 conductors. In an endeavour to overcome the difficulties for the time being, we have drafted 12 inspectors to Gillingham to carry out conductors' duties," stated Mr. Dravers.
"The men say that their overtime ban is nothing to do with the award which varied their conditions. They say they have the right to decide whether or not to work overtime. If that is so, they are not affected by the use of inspectors."
Mr. E. Briggs, secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union branch at the Gillingham depot, said: "Recently the company proposed to bring in conductors from other depots. We objected and the proposal was not carried out. We are prepared to return to work immediately the inspeetors are withdrawn."
The West Bromwich bus workers, who last Saturday struck work for the second time in protest against the employment of an Indian, were due on Wednesday to discuss a proposal to return to normal duties on the understanding that the transport committee would agree to discuss working conditions with them.
Six of the usual 115 West Bromwich buses were operated on Saturday by volunteer crews, but bus workers employed by the transport departments of Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Walsall ignored instructions to run into the town and turned their vehicles back at the boundary.
The strikers have denied that they are striking for a "colour bar." Negotiations on working conditions had been in progress for some time before the Indian was taken on the staff, they say.
Busmen of the Castleford depot of the West Riding Automobile Co., Ltd., struck work unofficially for a day last Saturday in protest against the system of paying takings into a wall safe. The men have threatened to repeat the strike on succeeding Saturdays, and to work to rule on week-days, until their demands for the abolition of this paying-in system is abolished. The removal of a depot official is also demanded.