Drivers’ row heads for showdown

Press, 16 August 1976, Page 4

Drivers’ row heads for showdown

PA Wellington Long negotiations and politicking over the wage regulations, and in particular the renegotiation of the general drivers’ award, may be brought to a head today. Transport employers in Hawke's Bay intend to sack any driver who refuses to tow a trailer when required. This could be enough to force a confrontation over the issue which has dragged on for weeks. The Hawke’s Bay drivers, like those in most parts of the country, have imposed a ban on the towing of trailers and the carting of containers. They have taken this action in protest at their employers’ refusal to agree their wage claim represents an exceptional circumstance as required under the Wage Adjustment Regulations. The chairman of the industrial committee of the Hawke’s Bay region of the Road Transport Association (Mr G. M. Cassidy) said last night that his committee had asked the local drivers’ union to reconsider the trailer decision. The union was told that drivers would be offered the chance to use trailers, and if they refused, they would have no job. The union was “not very happy, and threatened reprisals.” The reprisals were implied rather than specifically outlined, he said. The Stortford Lodge stock sale today had been cancelled because it needed a lot of truck and trailer operations. “We are not backing down on our statement,” Mr Cassidy said. “But we hope we don’t have to be pushed into a situ-

ation of sacking our very good men.” The Road Transport Association had asked the region not to do anything which would upset the wage negotiations in Wellington, he said. The regional association was keeping the request in mind. "We still hope the union will remove the illegal and discriminatory ban which threatens the livelihood of both drivers and firms,” Mr Cassidy said. “We’ve told the drivers if they wish to have a stoppage, that is their right Lut we cannot tolerate this type of discriminatory practice.” The ban was discriminatory because many rural operations could not survive without trailers, and small deliveries around town were not affected at all, he said. Transport operators had been told that any firm which continued to tow trailers during the ban would be blacklisted. “We can’t negotiate when we are being threatened like th*' ” Mr Cassidy said. The operators v/ould mt be making special work for truck and trailer operator. ” he said. But if stock had to be carted which would normally be carried by truck and trailer, the drivers would be asked to tow a trailer. The president of the Drivers’ Federation (Mr K. G. Douglas') said the question of applying any restriction was a matter for the local affiliated union. The Hawkes Bay Drivers’ Union had had a number of meetings where the rank and file membership had endorsed the restrictions. “If Mr Cassidy, or any other employer, wants to utilise the situation to victimise any worker then that situation would be handled nationally by the drivers’ federation,” he said. “We would take the appropriate action necessary to

protect the interests of the members concerned.” The action would be determined on the basis of the local circumstances, the company, the nature of the work done by the company, and in accordance with specific requests.

Other transport unions had pledged support for the drivers. “We would hope that | employers would not take provocative actions,” he said. “But if they do, they will just have to face up to the results of whatever action is I taken. “We certainly cannot accept any victimisation without retaliatory action by the federation.”