Drivers Plan To Beat ‘Lock-out’

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31549, 11 December 1967, Page 1

Drivers Plan To Beat ‘Lock-out’

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, December 10.

Drivers will make every effort to see that pre-Christmas food supplies are maintained, even going to the extent of getting temporary cartage licences, said Mr G. H. Andersen tonight.

Mr Andersen, the secretary of the Northern Drivers’ Union, said: “We are going to make every attempt to see that these supplies are maintained.

“We will use drivers under other awards and if necessary we may even attempt to arrange for the hiring of vehicles and seek the issue of temporary licences to counter-act the employers’ lock-out decision.” In the case of flour, attempts would be made to use the bakers’ own vehicles to cart to the bakehouses. About 1300 drivers employed by the Auckland Master Carriers’ Association and Auckland Owner-Drivers’ Association members are working out a week’s notice after the refusal of 22 drivers employed by A. B. Wright and Sons, to go back to work; The 22 are on strike over a claim of 8c an hour extra above the basic rate, a rate that is al-

ready being paid to drivers in Wellington. The dismissed men are due to finish on Thursday and Friday and fears have been expressed that serious disruption in deliveries of food and supplies to industry would occur.

Tomorrow, officials from 22 unions likely to be affected will meet to discuss the effect of the dismissals.