Cabinet-employers meeting unlikely

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 2

Cabinet-employers meeting unlikely

PA Auckland j The Employers’ Fed-; eration wants to meet; ithe Cabinet to “clear the; air" over the looming I confrontation with the ■trade union movement on awards; but the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said on Saturday That it was most unlikely The employers could Inieet the full Cabinet. "Ministers are very busy.; It would be quite unprece-1 ■dented for them to meet the ‘full Cabinet." he said. "Mr Gordon (the Minister of Labour) and I are happy jto meet them at any time. 1 am sure we will meet them I some time next week.” Mr Muldoon said. It is believed that many employers are angry about, iwhat they feel is a Govern;ment suggestion that they [back down over the drivers’ ■ case. They feel the message to employers has been riot to go to the Industrial Commission on "special circumstances” because there are virtually no special circumstances. ___

• Employers say the Gov-1 ernment’s attitude now is I ■ That, to settle the drivers’! ; award and avoid con-', Ifrontation, they should put) ' it before the commission fori ’ a ruling, "pegged” in such a; > wav that it cannot be used ibv other unions as a lever! to force through other! awards. The Employers’ Federation! held secret talks in Auckland on the subject on Frill day. Representatives of Federated Farmers, the Manu- ■ facturers’ Association, and 'the Chambers of Commerce T It is believed that an approach to the Government to .'get the regulations changed Tso the drivers' case could go [ to the commission as a test , case was dropped. r' Mr Muldoon has already 1 told employers groups that Tthe Wage Adjustment Regulations will not be amended. -■The employers agreed to /.take their points to the Cab,’ljnet on a general basis, ini stead. They see a meeting as a! urgent, but Government >1 sources say there is no pos--isibility of a decision for; -|some days. e Any application to the - commission must be a joint lone, and must be based onj

i“special circumstances.’’ i (Employers ask how, unless : ■ they can go to tiie 'commission for a ruling ion what “special circum-i (stances” are, they c_.n be exjpected to make ar. application based on “special circumstances.” If they can put a test 'Case on the drivers’ claims, then the commission in effect, will become a Court of Arbitration, they say.