Brisbane Tram Strike

*THE WORKER*

Brisbane  July 8, 1893

The Tram Men Stand Firm.

The Brisbane tram workers' strike against the heartless slash in wages enforced by the company of which Patriotic Leaguer White is managing director still continues. All the men are standing as firm as the Main Range, and are being splendidly supported by a very large section of the travelling public, who don't forget that the men originally resigned against a scale of wages on which it was not possible for them to live, modified by the introduction of a 24s. minimum only after they had unanimously and indignantly refused to submit to the Company's proposals. All the employees, with the exception of a couple of old men (grooms), numbering between 90 and 100 came out with one accord, the grooms to support the drivers and conductors because of the manifest injustice of the cut.

On Tuesday night a public meeting to state the case of the men and enlist sympathy and support was held at the Town Hall. Four parsons, Buchanan, Stone Wigg, Whale and Wolstenholmes, besides other public men professing philanthropic leanings were invited to address the meeting, but not one of them turned up. The Labour Party thereupon at ten minutes' notice prepared resolutions, appointed speakers and carried the meeting through with a success that is characteristic of most of its undertakings when it has complete control.

Bradford took the chair. Kerr, a groom, told the gathering why his mates stood by the drivers and conductors. Hinchcliffe then moved and Bowman seconded a resolution to the effect that :--

This meeting records its most emphatic protest against the action of the Tramway Company in reducing the already paltry wage of their employees, and also expresses its sympathy with the men in their struggle against the unjust proposals.

Both speakers eloquently appealed to the public to abstain from riding in the trams while the dispute lasts and to insist upon the municipalisation of the tram system as the only final solution of the difficulty. Casey moved and Wallace Nelson seconded the next resolution:

That this meeting pledges itself to refrain, and by all fair and legitimate means to induce others to refrain, from supporting a company which seeks to lower the wages and the standard of comfort of the workers, and therefore to degrade them physically, mentally and morally.

Casey gave an interesting account of his formation of the first Tramway Employees Union, when the men worked from 13 to 16 hours a day 7 days in the week for 28s., besides having to sign a cast-iron agreement, which through organisation was broken down as wages were increased, Casey also denounced the Government as did Hinchcliffe and Bowman, for creating the unemployed by maladministration, and the squandering of public funds on immigration: and showed how if the unemployed were in earnest they could force the hands of the Government by demanding gaol or work. Wallace Nelson seconded the resolution, and the crowded audience, amongst whom were several of the wives of the men, decently dressed and comely enough to grace any assemblage of citizens, endorsed it with acclamation: and it now behoves all white residents of Brisbane to avoid the trams and ride in the buses.