Govt decides to enforce act

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32633, 15 June 1971, Page 1

Govt decides to enforce act

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 14.

The Government tonight decided to enforce part three of the Stabilisation of Remuneration Act which gives the authority the power to refuse an agreed wage increase of more than the guideline percentage of 7 per cent.

The Governor-General (Sir Arthur Porritt) signed the order at Government house tonight in the presence of the acting Minister of Labour (Mr Thomson) and the Post-master-General (Mr McCready).

The order was published at 11.45 p.m. as a supplement to the New Zealand Gazette. The published notice said that the order “may be cited as the Stabilisation of Remuneration Act commencement Order, 1971.” The second paragraph stated: “Commencement of part three of the Stabilisation of Remuneration Act, 1971, shall come into force on the 14th of June, 1971.” The action of the Government comes after the refusal of the Northern Drivers’ Union and the Auckland Storemen and Packers’ Union tb agree to suspend the agreement made with their respective employers for a wage increase of more than 7 per cent- as requested by the Remuneration Authority. The order was prefaced with the preamble “Pursuant to the Stabilisation of Remuneration Act, 1971, His Excellency the GovernorGeneral acting by and with the advice of and consent of the Executive Council, and on the advice of the Minister of' Labour after .consultation by the Minister with, the New Zealand Federation of Labour, Inc, and the New Zealand Employers’ Federation, hereby makes the following orders:”

Union conunent Commenting 'on the Government’s action tonight in invoking part three of the Stabilisation of Remuneration Act, Mr G. H. Andersen, secretary of the Northern Drivers’ Union, said that any action by either of the two central unions would be within the confines of F.O.L policy. Mr Andersen said he expected little to happen tomorrow when he was asked

soon after the Government’s action was announced. Job delegates of the drivers’ union will meet at 3 p.m. tomorrow and the executive of the Auckland Tradtes Council-will meet'tomorrow night. The president of the Federation of Labour, Mr T. E. Skinner, is expected to remain in Auckland for the meeting (he is chairman of the council) and then fly to Wellington tomorrow to meet his F.O.L. executive. ■ Mr Andersen said tonight that if the two unions eventually took direct action agaih'st the Government’s decision other unions would probably give their support and direct action could spread. He said he was not expecting any messages of direction from the F.O.L. tomorrow. Mr Skinner returns (N.Z. Press Association) AUCKLAND. No sudden solutions to the current industrial crisis were offered by the president of the Federation of Labour (Mr f. E.. Skinner) when he arrived at Auckland Airport this afternoon. A very tired Mr Skinnei landed just before 2.30 p.m, 40 hours after he had abruptly left the International Labour Organisation conference in Geneva. Immediately after touchdown Mr Skinner spoke to the Prime Minister (Sir Keith Holyoake) on an airport phone. They spoke for almost three-quarters of an hour but Mr Skinner would give no indication of the discussions.