“Union’s Take-over Bid”

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31236, 7 December 1966, Page 1

“Union’s Take-over Bid”

(N.Z. Press Association? WELLINGTON, Dec. 6. An attempt to remove a salary bar from an industrial award was described as a “union take-over bid” by the Wellington City Council’s representative, Mr R. E. Taylor, in the Arbitration Court today.

The Court was hearing a dispute between the council and the Local Bodies Officers’ Union, represented by its secretary, Mr P. M. Butler. The union wants the salary exemption clause removed from the award. At present male officers receiving more than £1415 a year, and female officers receiving more than £BBO. are not covered by the award.

Mr Taylor said officers outside the scope of the award were members of another organisation, the Wellington Municipal Officers’ Association.

“The employer is aware of

keen resentment by members of the association of the union’s take-over bid, which if successful, would destroy the association,” Mr Taylor said.

The union had produced no evidence that senior officers wished to be brought under the union’s control. The Court should not make an alteration unless circumstances had altered since 1958, when the Court had maintained salary limitations, but adjusted the levels. Since 1958, the council bad regularly adjusted the salary bar to ensure that the union suffered no loss in membership or coverage. The award, since its inception, had contained a salary bar. Mr J. W. Miller, secretary of the association, opposed the removal of the salary bar. He said senior staff were well satisfied with the association’s ability to protect members’ interests. Members were convinced that many of the conditions they enjoyed could not have been obtained by any union. Mr Butler said the salary bar had “crept in.” It has not been positively accepted by

the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act. He said there were no such salary bars in Australia, Europe, the United States, or Britain. His union did not object to a professional association, and had co-operated with the association. “But they shouldn’t be used as ‘stooges’ to cause all this trouble.” Mr Butler said that on one occasion when the salary bar for females was £272 a year, the council had given their

female employees a £1 rise to take some of them outside the award. This prevented them from getting the benefits of the award. The union is also seeking wage increases which will bring rates into line with the minimum rates in the Public Service. Other disputed items are bonus payments for examination qualifications, written details of how wage payments are made up each payday, long-service leave, and overtime payments.