Costly power row ends, talks to start

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34106, 19 March 1976, Page 3

Costly power row ends, talks to start

'.VZ. Press Assuvtalii'n > , WELLINGTON, -March IS. The suspension of all gas operators at the New Plymouth power station has been lifted and the men are < xpected to return to v oik tomorrow. After meeting for more! than an hour today with representatives of the PublicService Association, the Combined State Service Organisations and the Electricity Department, the Minister of State Services (Mr Gordon) said the suspensions had been lifted In a statement detailing! the agreement. Mr Gordon; said the State Services Com-; mission would lift the sus-1 pension and the staff would! resume work using first oil; and then gas. The use of gas would continue. Negotiations between the State Services Commission and the P.S.A. would resume! on the men’s claim for an! allowance for handling gas and the results of these negotiations, whether in the; form of an agreed case or a wholly or partly-disputed case would be referred back Ito the State Services tribu-. nal. “The P.S.A. records the I customary need to consult

-staff on the site concerning the progress of the negi'tiations before taking anx agreed or disputed matters to the tribunal. I'he commission undertakes to pax anx allowance that max be granted by the tribunal from February 20, 1976 (when natural gas was introduced for testing in the current programme) to those for whom it may be approved, the statement said. I he P S A president (Mr J. F. Turner) said that the dispute had now been isolated at the place it ’ad

begun and said thete would be no industrial action be other power stations Asked if the agreement would l>e acceptable to the men. Mr Turner said he thought it would he. Mr Gordon said he would be travelling to the powei station with the Minist<-i of Lnergx Resources (Mr Hol land) on Wednesdax <u Thursday of next week t look at conditions He said he "couldn't dene that the dispute had cost some monev but would not sax what he thought the cost would be The general manager of the Electncitx Department (Mr P W Blakelex i said th suspensions would be lifted this afternoon and said he expecied the men would ir turn to work tomorrow