The Press WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1964. Firemen’s Strike Ballot

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30619, 9 December 1964, Page 20

The Press WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1964. Firemen’s Strike Ballot

The decision of Dunedin firemen, who voted heavily against a strike, to disaffiliate from their national federation and to continue to perform normal duties, is welcome evidence of a sense of responsibility in at least part of the fire service. The strike threat is now apparently limited in the North Island to brigades in Auckland and Wellington, and in the South Island to Christchurch, Timaru, and Invercargill; and there may be further defections if firemen in centres other than Dunedin come to their senses. It is regrettable, however, that firemen in five New Zealand cities voted by a majority of more than two to one to take direct action if their demands were not met. It is all very well to say that they will be available for fighting fires; but presumably the routine duties they refuse to perform are essential. Otherwise, why are they paid for them? Also, the discipline of brigades must suffer when firemen pick and choose which lawful orders they will obey.

Whether the men have a just claim to a 40-hour week, or whether they would be worse off if they no longer had alternate free days to devote to other occupations (with a pair working day about) is not the issue in this dispute; neither is the fact that in obtaining their present conditions, firemen forced boards to construct a special type of station. The issue is simply that the unions, though willing to accept the arbitration system when it suits them, refuse to accept the authority of the Arbitration Court when it does not suit them. They want to toss with a double-headed penny, an attitude that is regrettable in any occupation, but particularly among men who have accepted voluntarily the obligation to protect the lives, jobs, and homes and other property of the community. Mr G. G. Walker talks arrant nonsense when he describes firemen as “industrial “ workers ”. They are public servants engaged in a public service. What state would the country be in if policemen insisted that they were engaged in the police industry or soldiers that they were engaged in the war industry? While firemen talk in such an irresponsible way they cannot expect much sympathy from those who pay rates to maintain an efficient fire service. Citizens will expect the Minister of Labour (Mr Shand) to take whatever action may be necessary to awaken firemen to their plain duty.