Auckland Shift Ban Causes Confusion

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32385, 26 August 1970, Page 1

Auckland Shift Ban Causes Confusion

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, August 25. The decision by the Civil Aviation workers at Auckland Airport to adopt the shift-work ban imposed by airport staff at Christchurch and Dunedin has caused confusion among airlines.

From 5 p.m. today to 8 a.m. tomorrow traffic controllers, meteorologists, firemen and technicians will provide only emergency services.

The ban will continue until the Public Service Association recommends a satisfactory shift-work payment Appeals to passengers to seek confirmation of flights were made today, and one international airline rescheduled flights four times. N.A.C. cancelled all flights out of Auckland after 5 p.m. today. If a decision to adopt the ban in Wellington is made at a meeting set down for next Monday a split could develop among air traffic controllers. One controller said tonight that he would not stop doing shift work, no matter what Monday’s meeting decided. Meanwhile, the go-slow by Post Office clerical workers,

due to begin on September 7, will mean major toll-call delays and slow mail deliveries. It will also mean congestion in mail rooms and long queues at post office counters.

In Auckland, the stoppage at the New Zealand Glass Manufacturers’ factory at Penrose is producing a bottle shortage that has affected the wine and spirit industry. The engineers are striking for a 15c an hour wage increase. Most Auckland wineries and a major gin distiller will have to cut production soon if the bottle supply does not resume. Another attempt will be made to break the dispute at [the works on Thursday morning.

Eleven unions, representing about 450 workers, will meet management representatives, according to the secretary of the Auckland Engineers’ Union (Mr J. J. Crummey). Mr Crummey said that this decision, was the main outcome of a meeting held by the various unions at the works today. SMELTER STOP-WORK

In Invercargill today, about 450 workers at the Tiwai Point aluminium smelter held a stop-work meeting. They included carpenters, engineers, electricians, drivers and labourers.

Meeting in the Scottish Hall, under the chairmanship of the president of the Southland Trades Council (Mr •R. W. Powley), the men discussed remits and matters connected with the new agreement to be negotiated with the New Zealand Construction Company, which is acting for all site employers.

The National Airways Corporation has chartered an Air

New Zealand DCB, with 129 seats, for a flight from Christchurch to Auckland at 11.45 a.m. today. The DCB should have come to Christchurch from Sydney at 4 p.m. yesterday but its arrival was changed to 10.45 a.m. today.

An Air New Zealand spokesman said it was assumed the postponement was to obtain greater usfe for the jet rather than have it standing 24 hours in Chrischurch A Qantas Boeing 707 from Melbourne, which was to have arrived at 5.10 p.m. yesterday, landed an hour earlier to avoid the shift work ban. The aircraft will leave Christchurch for Sydney at 8 a.m. today whereas it would normally have taken off at 7 p.m. yesterday. Also today, N.A.C. will run a DC3 to Timaru and Oamaru, leaving Christchurch at 4.15 p.m. (Further reference on page 14.)