Huntly project short of skilled workers

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34146, 6 May 1976, Page 7

Huntly project short of skilled workers

(N.Z. Press Association) HAMILTON. The Huntly power project has a shortage of skilled labour, project disclosed in announcing a major recruitment drive that will add 200 men to the construction work force this year. The s3oBm project at present has vacancies for at least 30 skilled workers, mainly carpenters and steel emplacement workers — in contrast to the situation only six months ago when workers were queuing for jobs. And the project recentlyhired another 30 unskilled labourers as part of its recruitment programme, which will take the total Government work force on the site of New Zealand’s biggest power station to about 500.

At one point last year about 200 men were on the job waiting list but the number of available skilled workers in some categories is now almost exhausted. The number of unskilled men waiting for work has fallen to about 50. Project co-ordination engineer (Mr J. W. Malcolm-

son) said the . Government had approved the recruitment move. It would give a fresh impetus to the construction programme which had been lagging about six months behind schedule. The project work force would be working a 44-hour week. The 48-hour week, which had included Saturdaywork, had been cut back late last year as a Government (austerity measure. Mr Malcolmson said the restrictions on new workers recruitment had been the main reason for the growing delays in the project’s schedule. The Government was giving priority in its recruitment to “surplus” skilled Ministry of Works and Development employees from other centres. I Project industrial officer (Mr D. A. Buckingham) said (the project at present needed another 20 carpenters : skilled in heavy construction work and 10 extra skilled steel placers. About half the work force at present was made up of unskilled workers and there was no shortage of these. “We had about 60 calls in response to advertisements for more workers but we are after skilled men who have worked in heavy construction projects.” he'said. In the next three months there were also expected to be vacancies for experienced , steel erectors who would (work about 200 ft above the! ground. Mr Buckingham said some, i of the workers were trav-i elling from as far as Raglan! and Pukekohe daily to work: on the project. The bulk of the work (force commuted between! Hamilton and Huntly. : The build up in the worki (force will be progressive 'throughout the year and the!

project is expected to employ about 650-700 people at its peak construction period.