Ferry sailings restricted

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32459, 20 November 1970, Page 1

Ferry sailings restricted

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 19. The Railways Department cancelled the 6.40 p.m. and 10.40 p.in. Cook Strait ferry sailings from Wellington and Picton today—and until further notice—after members of the Marine and Power Engineers’ Institute refused to man the ships.

The engineers’ action will cut round trips from 21 a week to 11.

The Railways Department today stopped accepting freight for the ferries—and when it does reopen its doors it will be on a restricted basis.

If the dispute is prolonged it may affect the plans of holidaymakers taking cars to the South Island.

Engineers’, Railways Department and Union Company representatives met this morning in an attempt to solve pay and rostering claims to support which the engineers have reduced their working hours. The Assistant General Manager of Railways (Mr J. W. Dempsey) said after the meeting that the engineers were told that if they continued normal work, firm salary proposals would be made to them tomorrow. Salaries would be based on 21 round trips a week, with two weeks on and one week off, Mr Dempsey said.

He understood that one of the main points at issue was the desire of the institute to reduce approximately 32 weeks work in the year for engineers in the ferries to about 24 weeks.

The secretary of the Engineers’ Institute (Mr D. J. Munro) said this evening that as no firm offer had been made at the morning’s meeting, the decision to reduce sailings would stand until an offer was made.

Indications from the Railways Department are that it had decided to take a stand against “gun-at-the-head tactics” which it feels the institute is adopting. The stand is understood to be reinforced by the apparent success of officers who adopted a similar threat in support of claims a few weeks ago.