Auckland builders may be sacked

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33928, 22 August 1975, Page 10

Auckland builders may be sacked

<3tw Zealand Pre«« Anociattom WELLINGTON, August 21. AH building workers employed by members of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association will be sacked next week if an association executive recommendation is confirmed on Monday.

If industrial trouble continues in the building and construction inustry. a 40-hour week already operating on Auckland building sites will be extended to the rest of the country.

These measures were conveyed to the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) today by the’ executive director of the New Zealand Master Builders’ Federation (Mr T. C. L. Symmes). In his letter, Mr Symmes outlined the history of industrial unrest over union claims for an agreement on sever-: ance and redundancy payments in the building and construction industry. No agreement He said a compulsory conference called by the Minister of Labour (Mr Faulkner) to try to reach an interim agreement on the redundancyissue was adjourned indefintely on July 15, without agreement being reached A later meeting of the patnes concerned under the chairmanship of the indus-' trial mediator. Mr Cranston, on July 28 also failed to reach agreement, and the president of the federation (Mr R. J. Milne) and Mr Svmmes reported fully to the Minister of Labour the following day. Mr Symmes said that riggers in Auckland have made claims for a separate redundancy agreement "considerably in excess” of those oreviously put to the’ Auckland Master Builders’ Association and the federation in the collective claim. Not feasible A federation suggestion of a contributory scheme as an interim solution was found to be not feasible after discussion with the Minister and deoartmental officials.

"The federation has appealed to the Minister of Labour tn declare a morttortum on all severance redundancy agreements until the passing of legislation covering the subject. This he has declined to do. “In the view of this federation, the action of the riggers confirms this federation’s view that no interim solution is in sight or ran be agreed on an industrywide basis in the absence of legislation.

"In our view, the only possible agreements in the present conditions are single employer-single project arrangements. These are continually escalating,” said Mr Symmes. The federation said the only solution at present was for the Auckland riggers to revert to normal work and severance-redundancy claims to cease while the matter was handled bv the- Government. 10-liotir wet*k “You will be aware that in Auckland, action has been taken to operate on a 40hour a week basis. It is this federation s intention to extend the 40-hour week operation and to recommend to all members that they implement this nation-wide effective from Monday, September 1, 1975, if disruption continues in Auckland or elsewhere,” said Mr Symmes. “In Auckland, some employers have already had to reduce their work force. “A general meeting of members of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association i is to be held on Monday, to confirm a recommendation of the executive comm. .ee of the association that all building workers be given 40 hours notice of termination of employment,” said the letter. Money given The riggers on strike in Auckland have “dug their toes in,” according to an Auckland Labourers’ Union organiser. Mr P. White. "They have now settled down for a protracted stoppage, and financial support is just pouring in from all over the North Island.” While their employers were considering tighter measures against the striking riggers, I the riggers were again out rallying support from colleagues today — to the tune of $3O a week from their 50

workmates in Kawerau. In Auckland, where the I striking riggers have been canvassing for donations to their fighting fund for the last week, the employees of dozens of firms employing riggers had pledged an average of $3 a man a week to the riggers’ cause, said Mr White. Larger firms, he said, were giving $5 a man to support the riggers in their stand. “Support has been 100 per cent on every site,” he said.

“I’ve never seen such a show of support and solidarity.” In Kawerau today, the i5O-odd riggers decided to support their colleagues this week with $lO each, and from next week to pour $3O a week each into the Auckland riggers’ fighting fund. Although they initially i staged a strike with their Auckland colleagues, the Kawerau riggers have since returned to work and suspended their campaign. “Now. they are supporting us financially,” said Mr White. "We are more than ready for) a prolonged strike.”