Christchurch Firemen May Call Off Partial Strike Today

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29367, 21 November 1960, Page 14

Christchurch Firemen May Call Off Partial Strike Today

Christchurch firemen may today call off their six-day-old partial strike if the urban fire authorities executive will agree to meet the executive of the Federation of Fire Brigades* Unions at a meeting in Wellington on Wednesday. This was announced late yesterday afternoon by the president of the Christchurch Fire Brigades’ Union (Mr G. G. Walker!. Since last Tuesday firemen in Christchurch have not been doing routine work, but have answered firecalls and tested fire alarms. Mr Walker said the federation president (Mr K. Halliburton) would ask the employers this morning for a meeting on Wednesday. “It is hoped by the Christchurch union that there will be a resumption of work on Tuesday morning." Mr Walker said the decision to approach the employers for a meeting was a result of a weekend of talks with the federation and local firemen. “We have told the Chief Fire Officer, but officially everything is being handled through Wellington,” he said. “We will not be starting, of course, until we hear from Wellington.” Board Chairman's View Early last evening the chairman of the Christchurch Metropolitan Fire Board (Mr W. R. Campbell) said he had heard the men would —be starting work again. “However, 1 have heard nogjgafr thing about a meeting and I

have had no word from Wellington,” he said.

“There is absolutely no truth m any suggestion that the Christchurch Fire Board is agreeing to conditions with the union regardtog resumption of work. There have been no negotiations whatever. either with the Christchurch union or with the Dominion federation." said Mr Campbell. When the unions asked for an adjournment of a Conciliation Council meeting on November 10 to enable them to hold a meeting to iron out differences among the unions the employers offered to attend that meeting and assist them. The offer was accepted he said.

When the Christchurch strike began on November 15 the federation was advised that the employers would not enter into arrangements for such a meeting while the Christchurch strike existed.