Maui’s flying doctor

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 34000, 14 November 1975, Page 3

Maui’s flying doctor

X. Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, November 13. Free soup and cordial mobile toilets, and a heli copter flying doctor servict will be provided for mosi of the 300 men who wil spend the next three yean constructing the on-short Maui pipelines, under ar agreement signed yester day. The agreement, betweer the McConnell Dowell Saipem consortium ant unions covering thret groups of workers, wai settled in New Plymoutf after two days of negotia tions.

Storemen and packers, drivers, and labourers will be covered by the agreement. which is expected to be put before the Industrial Commission for ratification next week.

A separate agreement for engineers working on the line will be negotiated later by the Engineers’ Union, according to a union spokesman in Wellington today.

Although wage rates for lhe on-shore pipeline workers -are being withheld until they are approved by the commission, it is believed they are com-

parabit to the Maui offshore rates approved last week.

The off-shore agreement gives workers a base rate of $2.20 an hour, with more for specialist tradesmen.

The’ helicopter flying doctor service will be set up for emergencies or accidents. It will provide a medical service between workers on the pipelines and New Plymouth.

It is believed that a local general practitioner will be employed by the consortium to handle emergencies.