Pickets asked to leave

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33512, 18 April 1974, Page 3

Pickets asked to leave

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, April 17.

The Minister of Labour (Mr Watt) has asked trade unions to instruct their members to end picketing and resume work at the Fletcher Bernard-Smith plant in Auckland.

In a statement tonight, Mr Watt said he could not stand aside and tolerate the type of stoppage taking place, when adequate procedures were available to solve such disputes.

“I am requesting that all unions instruct their members at the plant to remove their

picket lines, resume normal work forthwith, and honour the agreement entered into in January, 1973, which provides for such disputes procedures,” he said. “After a resumption of normal work I will immediately take steps to appoint an independent arbitrator who will determine the procedure to be followed in the future by employees and the company in the event of a fumes nuisance occurring at the plant. “In the meantime, should fumes be present in the factory I am recommending to all parties that they follow the procedure set out in the agreement between the Engineers’ Union and the company, without prejudice to the arbitration.”

Mr Watt said he would immediately ask Rohm and Haas, Ltd, to minimise the emission of fumes from its plant, and to expedite the installation of new equipment for fumes abatement.

“On resumption of normal work the company has undertaken not to proceed further with Supreme Court action against the pickets,” he said. “I must make it absolutely clear that these moves are totally dependent on the men observing my request for a resumption of normal work. ’ Questioned later, Mr Watt said that deregistration was possible if unions did not agree to his requests, but the matter was complicated by the fact that several unions were involved.

Mr Watt said his telegrams to the unions were sent late this afternoon, and he did not expect replies until the morning.

“But I can tell you that my patience wears very thin at times,” he said.