Petrol Strike In Auckland

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32314, 4 June 1970, Page 1

Petrol Strike In Auckland

/ (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 3.

Petrol and oil delivery drivers in the Auckland district went on strike this afternoon. No deliveries are being made from Warkworth to Huntly, apart from some out of a Papatoetoe depot which is soon expected to run out of supplies.

Most service stations have enough petrol stored to last three or four days under normal conditions, but panic buying-could bring a shortage by the week-end if the strike continues. The 120 drivers decided this afternoon to abandon their delivery runs in protest against offers made by their employers in answer to pay and other claims made on a national level. They are to meet early on Friday afternoon to consider continuing the stoppage or returning to their trucks.

The decision to stop work was made at a meeting called to consider offers made by I the major oil companies ini award negotiations in Wellington last week. The secretary of the North-; ern Drivers’ Union (Mr G. H. I Anderson) said the offers were paltry in comparison i with offers made to general' drivers and private-company bus drivers. He said the drivers wanted about $8 a week more than their present average weekly wage of about S4O. The companies had offered Increases ranging from $l.Bl to $4.35 a week, according to the class of truck driven. The drivers also seek three weeks annual holidays after 12 months service. At present they get two weeks, and three after 10 years service. Mr Anderson said other conditions of work were also in dispute including provisions for sick pay. The men, who deliver to service stations and major consumers in an area from Albany to Papatoetoe, will continue to serve vital consumers during the stoppage. A spokesman for the oil in-

dustry in Auckland said the drivers’ claims were a national matter being dealt with in Wellington, and he could not comment on them.

Motorists rushed petrol stations tonight when they heard news of the strike. A service station in Mount Albert sold about 2000 gallons of petrol between 5 p.m. and 8.30 p.m. In Remuera Road a station reported that the rush began at 4.30 p.m. and by 9 p.m. it had almost run out of super-grade petrol. However, there was plenty of standard petrol left. At one stage of the evening 60 cars were waiting for service.