Chance of disputes settlement today

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32461, 23 November 1970, Page 16

Chance of disputes settlement today

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, Nov. 20. Moves will be made tomorrow which might result in the settlement of two major industrial disputes—involving the Longburn freezing works, and the Cook Strait ferries.

Freezing workers at Longbum will consider a proposal aimed at ending a dispute over increases in the cost of meals and board at the works. The men stopped work on Friday.

The secretary of the North Island Freezing Workers’ Federation (Mr T. F. Colletton) said during the weekend that he had made arrangements for a possible settlement of the dispute. The caterer employed by the Lcngbum works management, Mr A. H. van der Mass, has said that if the men refuse to pay the new prices, meals will not be available to them. Offer made The Cook Strait ferry engineers’ dispute over pay and rostering claims might also be resolved tomorrow. The executive and members of the Marine and Power Engineers’ Institute will con-

; sider an offer made last week during talks with the Union Steam Ship Company and the ' Railways Department If the offer is accepted, the ’ ferries might resume late , sailings tonight. If not, the engineers’ ban on late sailings will continue. Trustee bank ' Stoppages by employees of the Manawatu-Wairarapa District Savings Bank might ' increase it was warned today. The industrial secretary of . the Wellington Clerical Workers’ Union (Mr G. D. ■ Kelly) said that unless satisfactory talks were held with the bank’s board of trustees, stoppages would "continue and grow.” After a stoppage last week, talks were held with the trustees which “got nowhere,” Mr Kelly said. Employees are seeking the restoration of bank pay scales to their former levels. Another stoppage will be held on Thursday, when employees from all branches of the bank will attend a meeting in Palmerston North.