Drivers settle for 3 p.c. pay rise, plus conditions

Press, 15 September 1976, Page 6

Drivers settle for 3 p.c. pay rise, plus conditions

Wellington ‘‘Exceptional circumstances” took a battering yesterday’ with news of agreement for two groups of workers before the Industrial Commission seeking wage rises under the controversial clause in the wage regulations.

Drivers and road transport j employers settled on a 3 per cent wage rise and improve-; menu in a number of condi-i tions which will be put be-1 fore the commission. Late on Monday night Air, New Zealand cabin staff and 1 their employers reached | agreement on a 4 per cent 1 across-the-board wage rise. The only exception was the rate for chief pursers, which, also subject to the commission’s approval, will( rise 7.5 per cent. Both these settlements will he forwarded to the commis-1 s>on as soon as possible for' a decision on whether the • agreed amounts represent an ‘•exceptional circumstance” and are allowable under thei wage regulations. The advocate in both cases . was the president of the Fed-' eration of Labour (Sir| Thomas Skinner). He said yesterday the set-1 tlements proved the amendments to the regulations — in particular amendment No. 10 which brought “excep-; tional circumstances” into, the negotiating arena—could I

: work provided employers and ■ unions were left alone to nejgotiate meaningfully. . Delays in the drivers’ pro- ' ceedings would never have ‘happened if there had been •!no interference from the ('Government on the interpretation of “exceptional cir- : cumstances.” “If there had been no in- ; terference we would have ; settled some time ago,” Sir I Thomas said. I Other improvements agreed to in the brief hourI long negotiations were an increase in meal money from IjSl.lO to 51.50 and an agree- , ment to shorten the term of , the award so that it expires • ion July 8 next year. ,1 The parties also agreed on payment for two authorised , stop-work meetings each . year for a maximum of two -1 hours, and the provision of two pairs of overalls, where they are necessary, each .’year. The assessors agreed to . form a restructuring committee to look at all classifica>(tions, wage structures, and I (other aspects of the award I

during the term of the award.

, The Drivers’ Federation originally sought wage increases of about 19 per cent, although the figure was later amended to between 10 and 14 per cent. The president (Mr K. G. Douglas) said the agreed percentage was not enough for the federation’s members But the union had to have regard for the reality of a situation where wage fixing was in particular directed at the road transport industry. A 3 per cent wage rise will, in round terms, add about 1 per cent to cartage costs, and the fact that this cannot be recouped because of the price freeze concerns the employers. Last week the Road Transport Association made an urgent plea to the Ministry of Transport for exemption from the price freeze. The association’s executive director (Mr B. P. Gresham) said that once the 3 per cent had been approved by the commission, the addition to Ithe industry’s wage bill

would be added to its earlier claim for exemption from the price freeze. The wage increase cannot take effect till it has been approved by the commission, and as a result the employers cannot claim till then.

Beer production in Auckland may not resume this morning, even though brewery union workers are expected to return to work. Brewery workers covered by the union have all decided to end their two-week strike, but production may now be threatened by boiler attendants covered by the Auckland Engine Drivers’ Union. The attendants are waiting for the response of employers to a request for resumption of negotiations for a separate award. Although a response was at first expected last night, the secretary of the union (Mr G. H. Andersen) said negotiations were continuing, and a result was not now expected- until today.

Twelve oil storemen have been suspended by B.P. New Zealand after two pumpmen refused to discharge fuel from the coastal oil tanker Kuaka.

Pumpmen imposed a discharge ban on the tanker, to make it the second tanker laid idle around the New Zealand coast by the oil storemen’s action in protest against the failure of their award negotiations. The dispute over the Kuaka followed a similar dispute over the supertanker Mobil Brilliant, which has been idle at Marsden Point because oil storemen there also refused to discharge fuel from the ship. The action is in line with a stated union policy of striking against oil companies without affecting fuel supplies to the public. About 300 engineers employed by Industrial Gases will receive substantial wage increases under an agreement approved yesterday by the Industrial Commission. But the increases — which range from 6.8 per cent to 11.7 per cent — are not under the "exceptional circumstances” clause of the wage regulations.

They were granted under the sections relating to the reconstruction of awards and agreements and productivity agreements.

The decision on the agreement is expected to have a marked effect next week when talks resume on the metal trades award.

These negotiations broke down last month over the “exceptional circumstances” clause where the Engineers’ Union claimed 13 per cent. Engineers throughout the country took direct action in support of their claim, and last week-end the employers agred to return to the negotiating table today and tomorrow.