Stoppage Threat Regretted

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31235, 6 December 1966, Page 3

Stoppage Threat Regretted

(N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, December 5. The Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today he was disturbed by the possibility of the Railway Tradesmen’s Association taking industrial action over the skill margins issue. The association is conducting a ballot on whether to call a national stoppage as a protest against the Government’s lack of interest in the railway tradesmen’s case for skill margins. Mr Holyoake called it regrettable, particularly in view of the fact that a claim by the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants for increased margins for tradesmen, was about to be heard by the Railways Tribunal. This

could also affect tradesmen in the association.

Mr Holyoake said the association could, if it had so wished, have taken the same course of action as the A.S.R.S. and taken a claim for increased margins to the tribunal before conducting a ballot on whether to call a stoppage of work. The tribunal had been set up more than 20 years ago for “the very purpose of deciding such issues.” He said that as recently as November 28 he had been advised by the A.S.R.S. that it had invited the association to join it in a claim to the tribunal, but the invitation was refused. Mr Holyoake said there had been no lack of interest by the Government in the railwaymen’s case. Mr Holyoake said that towards the end of last July, members of the association’s national council discussed

with him and the Minister of Railways (Mr McAlpine) several matters related directly or indirectly to tradesmen’s rates of pay.

These discussions ended on the understanding that the association would then proceed to discuss the various matters with the Railways management. Shortly after, the association discussed in conciliation with the general manager a request for an increase of 2s 6d per hour in the rates for indentured tradesmen. About the same time the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants also met the general manager in conciliation to discuss a request for an increase in the tradesmen’s margin. Mr Holyoake said both organisations were advised that as the question of tradesmen’s rates concerned many other Government departments, it would be necessary

to refer it to the State Services co-ordinating committee.

After a further approach by the association on November 14, he advised it on November 21 that he had arranged for the chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Government Administration (Mr Shand) to hold further discussions after receiving a paper on the subject from the State Services Co-ordinating Committee. Mr Holyoake said he also received a telegram from the association on November 25 and that he had again written to the association as recently as Wednesday. He said in that letter he had given an undertaking that the association’s representations would be fully considered and he proposed to honour that undertaking. This would be done notwithstanding the fact that the A.S.R.S. claim with the Railways Tribunal would be heard on December 13.