Thousands of jobs hinge on talks

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33932, 27 August 1975, Page 16

Thousands of jobs hinge on talks

.Veic Zealand Pres* Association >

WELLINGTON. August 26.

A meeting in Wellington tomorrow convened by the Federation of Labour will be crucial for thousands of Auckland building workers, who will be given a week’s notice tomorrow unless riggers in the northern industrial district return to work.

The ultimatum was given by members of the Auckland Master Builders’ Association yesterday as the riggers’ strike in support of a redundancy claim entered its fourth week.

Unions with members affected by [he threatened, dismissal notices will meet the F.O.L. executive in Wellington tomorrow. The F.O.L. intervened after requests from affiliate*;.

If the FX).L. can convince the riggers to return to work, the builders have pledged that national talks on redundancy will resume.

The task of the F.O.L. is far from easy, according to industrial sources. The riggers want a separate redundancy agreement, and they! are unlikely to be impressed; with the employers’ offer to, resume national redundancy talks for the whole building industry, say the sources. Ba«i« of claim The riggers say they deserve special consideration, because of the shifting and sometimes short-term nature of their work. The employers say the riggers belong to the Northern| Labourers’ Union, which is a party to the national talks,! and should be treated in the’ same way as other workers; covered by the labourers’l award. By calling off the national! talks because of the riggers’; strike, the employers are [ obviously hoping the other 1 unions will exert pressure on the riggers, sat’ the sources. Workers on four Auckland construction sites walked off ; the job today in protest against the threatened dismissals. Tanker dispute Talks will be held in Wellington tomorrow between unions and oil companies on the dispute which has kept the oil tanker Vermont at anchor in the Hauraki Gulf »ince Saturday

The 20.450-ton tanker, , which sails under a Liberian flag, has been chartered by the B.P. Tanker Company, i Ltd, for 10 weeks, during the I

annual survey of the coastal tanker Erne.

A ban by the Seamen’s Union has prevented the ship from plying New Zealand waters while the Italian crew members are paid lower wages than New Zealand seamen.

Ten members of the Engineers’ Union at the Huntly power project went on strike yesterday. The men, fitters employed by the site’s main contractor. Wilkins and Davies Construction, Ltd, walked off the job after they had been refused a 5.2 cent an hour “indenture payment” for being qualified tradesmen at the completion of more than four years apprenticeship, it is understood.

They are expected to return to work tomorrow after a request by the Minister of Labour (Mr Faulkner).