Strike At Turangi Contract

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31153, 1 September 1966, Page 1

Strike At Turangi Contract

I. Preu Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, August 31. More than 100 men employed at Turangi by the Fletcher Construction Company went on strike today over the terms of employment of the company’s camp sergeant. The strike has stopped work on the maternity hospital, high school, single men’s accommodation and commercial buildings. The company closed the cookhouse immediately the *1

.men announced their intention to stop work. This left 116 men hunting the district for meals tonight. With onlytwo restaurants in t*’° Turangi-Tokaanu area, two dining rooms attached to fishing lodges and the Tokaanu Tourist Hotel, facilities were taxed to the limit. Many of the men travelled more than 30 miles to Taupo or Taumarunui for meals. The men maintain the camp sergeant should not be asked to work on a construction job. However, the company has ruled that cleaning the ablution blocks and tidying the camp should take no longer thrn four hours. “We can’t pay a man a full day’s wage for only a halfday's work," said the site construction manager, Mr R. M. Bevan.

I An official of the Auckland j branch of the Labourers’ ' Union, Mr R. Jones, said: “I Teel that above cleaning of | the camp the sergeant’s job is also one of protection—essentially to prevent fires.” Mr Bevi.n said there were at least five men in the camp all day besides the sergeant. Mr Jones said the 12 Jugoslavs employed by the company at Turangi knew little English and it was hard for them to fend for themselves. If the dispute continues there might be few men left to start work again. “Of the three men I have spoken to. one has already said he is leaving immediately,” said Mr Jones. The men have no complaints aboi.t conditions at the camp. Each man has a single hut, furnished and

■ heated. The company also provides a welfare hall for entertainment. No further meetings between the men and the employers had been arranged.