Drivers insist on single scale

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32539, 24 February 1971, Page 3

Drivers insist on single scale

(By our industrial reporter)

New Zealand’s general drivers appear to be ready to strike to keep the wages of country drivers at the same level as those of city drivers. At present the employers are offering 5c an hour less for country driver.

Until the present award, negotiated in October, 1969, country’ drivers were paid slightly above the others—the last margin being 30c a week. Equal rates were introduced with the present award and no change was made at the time of the first interim increase, last August.

Now, under strong pressure from country operators in Rotorua, Poverty Bay and the South Island, the employers are seeking to establish country drivers on $2 a week less than the city rate.

The drivers’ award is due to expire within three months,

and one would have expected the employers to prefer to negotiate a new award at this stage rather than grant a second interim increase.

However, they have chosen the latter course, and the union has no objection to taking two bites at the cherry. The employers’ latest offer was a flat 12c an hour for each of the city classifications, and 7c an hour for all country drivers. More than

1000 Christchurch drivers yesterday rejected the 7c but made it clear they would accept an interim increase of 12c for all drivers.

The union is claiming about 28c an hour—the figure varies slightly from one classification to another—but there seems no doubt that the majority of New Zealand drivers will accept 12c until the new award comes into force. Even Auckland, noted for its militancy, is expected to settle for an over-all 12c an hour.

It seems, therefore, that the ball is in the employers’ court. When negotiations resume in Wellington a week from today, they will have to decide whether to offer an over-all 12c an hour or risk widespread stoppages. Wellington drivers decided this week to hold out for the full 28c as an interim increase, and this decision may well lead to subsequent stoppages in the Wellington district. However, it is considered unlikely to prejudice a national settlement.

When the present award was introduced 15 months ago drivers were paid less than a dollar an hour. Fot the most common city classi-fication—2-5) tons—the rate was 89.4 c an hour. Last August this rate was increased to $1.05 an hour (an increase of about 17J per cent) and with the general wage order this rate is now $l.OB. A further 12c an hour will represent a total increase of slightly more than .34 per cent inside the currency of the award.