Dustmen Strike In Auckland

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32324, 16 June 1970, Page 28

Dustmen Strike In Auckland

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, June 15.

Striking Auckland City Council rubbish collectors decided today to seek a further meeting with council representatives on their wage claim, and to hold another meeting tomorrow morning. A council spokesman appealed to residents to continue taking their rubbish to the council tips.

After today’s meeting, the secretary of the Auckland and Suburban Local Bodies Labourers’ Union (Mr H. F. Callagher) said the men wanted the council negotiators to recognise their conditions of work immediately. Two of the union members, after apologising for the inconvenience caused by the strike, gave their side of the case. “The net average wage of the dustman is at present $37 a week which, with the rising cost of living, is just not sufficient,” said Messrs W. Glover and G. McGlynn. “For this princely wage, we work through all weathers and seasons to get the job done as well and efficiently as possible. It is only by running that we have the streets and footpaths cleared as early as possible, which is required to provide maximum hygiene and to cut traffic congestion.” Because of adverse working conditions there were cases of dustmen going down with pneumonia, being bitten by rats and contracting various infections. “We do not wish to appear as bellyachers, as we normally do our job as unobtru-

sively as possible and the job is ours by choice,” they said. “But what we do want is a fair wage for an unpleasant job.”