Builders and F.O.L. at loggerheads

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33933, 28 August 1975, Page 14

Builders and F.O.L. at loggerheads

(A’.Z. Press Association)

AUGKLAND, August 27.

Urgent negotiations among the Government, the Federation of Labour and the New Zealand Master Builders’ Federation began tonight after F.O.L. talks in Wellington failed to break the impasse reached in the strike by Auckland riggers.

The strike by 100 rig-: igers became a national i issue today when, after] a full day of fruitless] talks, the conflicting parties both asked the, Minister of Labour (Mr .(Faulkner) for help to i: break the deadlock. ] A special meeting of the 11 F.O.L. executive and officials' ’iof the construction unions 'broke no new ground, and ] the continued stalemate be- ! came evident after the national builders’ federation ' again told the F.O.L. that , there would be no “meaning--1 ful” talks until the Auckland riggers ended their strike. ' The president of the F.0.L.; I (Mr T. E. Skinner) said to'jnight: “It is the first time in imy experience that, employHers have refused to have •I meaningful talks with the II F.O.L. to settle a dispute. “My candid opinion is that I they are doing this politically. It is election year, and they are doing it to embarI rass the Government. I can ; see no other reason for their ■ attitude.” ' The F.0.L., he said, was “not going to remain still in

■ >the face of the master build|jers’ provocative action of .[issuing dismissal notices to mil Auckland building work'|ers.” ‘Buying a fight’ • “What the master builders i are doing is buying a fight with the whole trade-union movement;” said Mr Skinner. “While it seems to me that [they are determined to do this. I still cannot understand what they hope to gain by it.” Both the Prime Minister (Mr Rowling) and Mr Faulkner were advised of the impasse by Mr Skinner, and it was understood that the Minister was trying to negotiate with Mr Skinner by tele- : phone late tonight. Settlement within six days is imperative if the Government is to avoid the dismissal of more than 4000 carpenters and Other building workers from their jobs in the Auckland district. Notices distributed The notices were handed • to most workers today, althought again some sites were deserted as workers protested against the dismis-

sal threat by the Auckland Master Builders’ Association. But the manager of the: association (Mr G. F. Knowles) said that the association’s stand had been endorsed by kindred bodies in Nelson, Taranaki, Gisborne. Ashburton. Wellington, and the Hutt Valley. The Auckland Masters Plasterers’ Association also supported the builders when it. met in the afternoon. But the basic attitudes of the parties involved remain unchanged. The riggers, represented by the F.0.L., refuse to return to work unless the employers agree to serious redundancy talks, and the Auckland Master Builders’ Association, represented by its parent body, refuses to enter talks while the riggers are on strike.

Call for action The building industry, said the president of the New [ Zealand Master Builders’ j Federation (Mr R. J. Milne) . was faced with the possibility 1 of going out of business I fighting for the national interest, or going out of busi-. ijness by surrendering to! ; trade-union demands. ’Strong Government action i to break the present situation is essential.” he said. “Unless this is done, the entire industry could go out of business just by meeting the union redundancy claims.” Construction work at the • New Plymouth power station ' stopped todav after 25 labourers, riggers and drivers' decided to stage a 24-hour [ protest stoppage in support [ of their Auckland counterI parts.