Minister Sees Serious Threat

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31029, 7 April 1966, Page 1

Minister Sees Serious Threat

(From Our Own Reporter) WELLINGTON, April 6. A serious threat to the whole system of conciliation and arbitration is seen by the Minister of Labour ! (Mr Shand) in the action of workers at the Christchurch abattoirs. Mr Shand said tooay that the workers had ceased work to enforce a demand for increased wages at a time when negotiations for a new award were before a conciliation: council. “It should not be necessary I to remind the union and the; workers involved that the: slaughtering and supply of I meat for domestic consumpt-| ion is an industry which is covered by special statutory; provisions designed to ensure!

that the supply of essential foodstuffs will not be disrupted by irresponsible or preciipitate actions by workers emI ployed therein,” Mr Shand ;said. “Special Features” “This dispute has two special features which distinguish the action taken by the workers in this case from the normal run of disputes. “Apart from the general provisions regarding illegal strikes, any union or worker who is concerned in a strike where a dispute has been referred to a conciliation council is liable to special penalties under the Act, as are also those parties who fail to give 14 days’ notice of their intention to strike.

“These special obligations have been completely ignored.

“Without entering into the question of the merits of the union's claims, there can be no possible justification for the action which has been taken by the union and the workers in so flagrantly and capriciously ignoring not

only their legal obligations to observe the constitutional procedures for resolving any genuine- grievances undertaken when, a union registers under the I.C. and A. Act, but also their moral obligations to the public to maintain essential supplies. "The award under which the Christchurch abattoir workers are employed is recognised as one providing reasonable rates of remuneration, and although the parties in conciliation council were unable to agree on whether any increase should be provided for in the new award, the Act is specifically designed to meet such a situation, and when the union applied to have the matter dealt with by a conciliation council, it undertook to have any matter not settled in that way referred to the Court of Arbitration.

“1 have arranged for the Conciliation Commissioner to call the parties together again this afternoon to impress upon the union and the workers the serious view which must be taken of their actions. He will endeavour to prevail on the union to adopt a more responsible attitude by recommending that normal work should be resumed immediately “1 hope good sense will prevail and that it will not be necessary for the Government to take further action.” “Student News” “Student News,” a new publication of the New Zealand University Students’ Association, this week distributed its first issue free of charge to students in all universities. It is designed to give fuller coverage of association activities and student affairs overseas to supplement local students’ papers.