Southerner delay likely

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32462, 24 November 1970, Page 1

Southerner delay likely

(New Zealand Frets Assobiation)

WELLINGTON, Nov. 23.

An industrial dispute is threatening the start next month of the new Southerner rail service between Christchurch and Invercargill.

The Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants has warned the Railways Department that the service will not begin unless hostesses are employed on an hourly rate. The society’s general secretary (Mr N. A. Collins) said the hostesses would not be performing salary division duties. They would be doing general division duties, and should be members of the AS.R.S. The department .wants the hostesses to be on a salary and to be members of the Railways Officers’ Institute. Mr Collins said the society had not obtained a favourable reaction from the depart -

ment in talks on the matter. The society had objected to the department when hostesses on the Blue Streak service were given salary division conditions, and was not prepared to let the same thing happen again. LATE SAILINGS The Cook Strait ferries resumed late sailings tonight but a dispute over pay and rostering claims by engineers has not yet been settled. Engineers on the ferries decided to lift the ban on late sailings while waiting for talks with the Union Steam Ship Company and the Railways Department this week. An offer made during talks last week was rejected this morning by the Marine and Power Engineers' Institute. WORKS STOPPAGE ENDS Freezing workers at Longbum will return to work tomorrow after a four-day stoppage in protest against increases in the cost of food and board at the works.

At a meeting today they decided to renegotiate charges, but a ban will be imposed on the cafeteria until their union has met the works caterer.