Employers dig in on wage demands

Press, 18 September 1976, Page 4

Employers dig in on wage demands

1 PA Auckland | Some of the country’s main employers yester-j day agreed unanimously! to stand by the spirit of the Government’s wage regulations. This prevents any acknowledgement of the drivers’ advance on wage rises. It also flies in the face of progress towards industrial peace made in the last week — engineering employers had agreed to hold serious wage talks, and the Federation of Labour had won a 3 per cent: wage rise for drivers. Tne F.O.L. president (Sir. k Thomas Skinner), who nego-’ ♦tiated the drivers’ increase, • angrily reacted to the news' ipf the employers’ stance. »- The employers would now '.have to suffer the consequences of hiding behind the Government regulations, he tkid. ’ The national executive of the Employers’ Federation, representatives of Federated Facners, chambers of commerce, retailers’ and manufacturers’ federations attended the meeting. The managing directors or representatives of some of the major New Zealand companies also attended the meeting which was held in the Auckland Employers’. Association offices.

I The meeting felt that, even if drivers did get a wage rise, every other union still had to prove its particular case. ■ An exceptional circumstance might well have been proved in the drivers’ case, the employers decided. But that did riot alter the task I facing other unions which had lodged wage claims. The president of the Em-; ployers’ Federation (Mr D. G. R. Sutcliffe) said every! industry had to convince the Industrial Commission of any exceptional circumstances. , "We see negotiations on! the basis that there are wage regulations in operation,” he I said. ‘‘l don’t think anyone 'believes there is a direct, relationship between just any! industry and the drivers.” Resolutions passed by the national executive acknowledged a need to restore economic stability and reduce inflation, and announced the employers’ determination to “act responsibly to achieve these objectives.” The meeting noted employers’ reduced ability to pay wage increases during a price freeze. It recognised that the Industrial Commission would soon authoritatively interpret the “exceptional circumstances” clause. The onus was still on, unions, the employers; decided, to justify their wage' i claims within the intent of,

the Government’s regulations.

The meeting also resolved that the federation should be able to make separate representations to the Industrial Commission if any joint application appeared to depart from the intended principles. Sir Thomas said he maintained that exceptional circumstances could be found in any award the unions like. “At least they could have waited to see what the Industrial Commission interpretation of exceptional circumstances was,” he said. “If the employers are not going to negotiate meaningfully, if thafs the way they want it, then they will have to suffer the consequences.” A go-slow by aircraft engineers at Auckland Airport delayed two international flights by up to two hours yesterday. But it was abandoned after the New Zealand Engineers’ Union ■ intervened. The action — a work-to-rule by Air New Zealand ! servicing staff, delaying all i international flights — was 'apparently taken without the union’s approval. But after Mr J. A. Boomer, I the union’s national secre-l tary, had spoken to the air-! port engineers, the work; restriction was lifted yester-j day afternoon.