Offer Rejected At Marsden Point

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31143, 20 August 1966, Page 3

Offer Rejected At Marsden Point

Overtures to a settlement were being made regarding an industrial dispute at Whangarei yesterday, while another at Wellington remained deadlocked, the Press Association reported.

In Whangarei the Marsden Point power project labourers today rejected further management proposals, while in Wellington there seemed little likelihood of the Harbour Board electricians’ strike ending immediately. The union organiser, Mr E. C. Castell, from Auckland described the latest Marsden Point proposal as “just a facesaver.”

The dispute began on Monday when about 180 labourers stopped work following the dismissal of two job delegates. The proposition put to the men yesterday by the management was that the dismissed delegate (Mr K. Greig) be allowed to return to work pending a hearing by a committee of inquiry under an independent chairman—but not as a job delegate. The management suggested that a proxy delegate be appointed until after the hearing. Earlier, the management stated that the dismissal of the second job delegate was not a particular point at issue and that he would be reinstated. Delegate Backed At a meeting of the labourers yesterday, Mr Greig offered to vacate the position of job delegate, but no proxy delegate could be found. The men refused to accept either Mr Greig’s offer to stand down or the management’s proposals. They said they would not go on to the job unless they were headed by Mr Greig. After the meeting the Auckland organiser (Mr Castell) and other union members advised the construction consortium industrial relations officer (Mr T. E. Skinner) of the union’s reaction. The men all received last week's pay today and were allowed to enter the site to collect it.. Tying Up Port The Wellington Harbour Board’s electricians dispute, now in its tenth day, is slowly but surely tying up the port. The men stopped worked at 5 p.m. on August 9 over a pay dispute. Their action has stopped the floating dock, the patent

slips, the discharge of coal at Aotea quay, and the operation of all exterior electric wharf cranes. The matter is expected to be fully discussed at the next meeting of the harbour board on Wednesday.