Fuel supplies likely to run out soon

Press, 12 October 1976, Page 1

Fuel supplies likely to run out soon

PA Wellington Wellington, Auckland and Dunedin may lose supplies of premium petrol and diesel fuels through continuing action by sections of the Storemen and Packers, Drivers, and Seamen’s Unions, an oil industry spokesman says.

A dispute over crew accommodation has kept the coastal tanker Kotuku idle in Whangarei Harbour since last Tuesday, while she should have loaded fuel for Wellington and Dunedin. Wellington will probably run out of premium petrol by mid-week, and Dunedin’s diesel supplies will also run out soon, he says. Even if the Kotuku dispute is resolved and the ship loads today some inconvenience to the public is inevitable in Wellington and Dunedin, and this is likely to affect supplies spokesman says. However, sources within the trade in Christchurch say tile effects will not be felt here. The seamen in the Kotuku have demanded an additional lavatory and a special doorway leading from the deck to the mess

and recreational areas in the ship. The oil companies do not consider the changes are needed as there are 46 lavatories already in the ship. The matter has been referred to the Shipping Industry Tribunal. The president of the Seamen’s Union (Mr D. J. Morgan) says the additional toilet and special doorway are just two of a number of alterations which should have been made while the tanker was on survey in Japan last month. In the Auckland area a dispute over the manning of valves in depots and installations has been raised again by the Storemen and Packers Union. Although the issue has been discussed between the parties in the presence of the Auckland Conciliator (Mr F. Gerbic) it has not been resolved. Last Friday storemen in the Caltex installation refused to open the valves to allow the loading of petroleum products. No

reason was given but the question of jurisdiction over the valves is understood to be the underlying cause. Yesterday the storemen again declined to open the valves, which were then opened by supervisory staff. Drivers were directed to load and deliver products but declined in the face of the black ban on the valves by the storemen. The drivers were told this action placed them in default of their normal duties and that in accordance with the provision of the oil company drivers agreement, their pay would stop until they returned to normal duties. To meet the urgent requirements of customers who would normally be served by the Caltex drivers, drivers from other oil companies have been instructed to make deliveries. These drivers have refused, and while drivers in Auckland maintain this attitude, no petroleum products will be delivered in the Auckland area.