Staffing Dispute May Stop Trains

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32347, 13 July 1970, Page 16

Staffing Dispute May Stop Trains

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 12.

All trains in the Auckland area may come to a halt from midnight tomorrow if about 250 locomotive drivers and the Railways Department do not settle differences over staffing regulations.

The drivers, from depots at Westfield, Auckland, Helensville, and Papakura, met this morning and decided to strike unless they received an assurance from the Railways Department.that a newly introduced amendment to the Railways Staffing Regulations would be rewritten. The drivers, members of the Auckland branch of the Engine Drivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association, have notified both their national executive and the Railways Department of their decision The Assistant General Manager of Railways (Mr J. W Dempsey) said tonight that he would get in touch with the association’s national exe-

cutive tomorrow to find out the exact position. The secretary of the Auckland branch of the association (Mr B. T. Moore) said the men objected to a particular clause in the amendment to the staffing regulations which came into effect on June 22. He said the clause meant that staff would be temporarily laid off any time it was considered they could not be gainfully employed. “The men say this has the effect of reducing permanent employees to the basis of casual labour,” Mr Moore said.

Another thing objected to was that the amendment became law without the association being notified. “As far as I can find out, our association was not issued with a copy of the amendment until July 11,” he said “We feel the Railways Department should have discussed it with our national executive.” The branch wanted an assurance that the amendment would be rewritten so that the clause objected to was dropped. The national executive would probably meet tomorrow to discuss the branch’s move, he said.