Shop workers not intimidated by law

Press, 25 May 1977, Page 6

Shop workers not intimidated by law

The Shop Employees’ Association, which has a membership of 28,000. is undeterred by the possibility ■that a strike by its members ;may be ruled illegal under ithe “political strike” section [of the Commerce Act, which was introduced last year. “We believe that the Federation of Labour has considered this, and rejects that legislation. The F.O.L. has endorsed the association’s action.” said the secretary of the association (Mr B. Alderdice) yesterday. Mr Alderdice said that the| association did not acknow-' ledge that a strike over the Shop Trading Hours Bill' would be illegal.

“If it were, there would be no way by which our members could protect their conditions of employment. The Government is creating an illegal situation by not allowing us to honour the industrial agreement stamped by the Industrial Commission.” The bill will extend the hours of shopping. If shop hours were extended employees could not avoid being asked to work, Mr Alderdice said. The bill would replace the present regulated system of hours with one that would require assistants to work at different hours of the day and night, and at week-ends. “It is a pity we could not take an injunction against the Government for violating an award of the Industrial Commission,” he said. A petition against the bill was started in Christchurch about a week ago, and has been signed by about 12,000 people. Requests for more forms are being sent daily to the Canterbury Shop Assistants’ Union. “It began as a petition for

shop assistants, but it has now been taken up by the retailers, and is circulating in shops for customers to sign.” said Mr Alderdice, who is also the union’s secretary. Tirnaru shop assistants will discuss the bill at a meet|ting this evening, and Ashi burton empoyees will meet on [June 1. They will not be stopiwork meetings. Mr Alderdice said that the stop-work meetings started in some areas had now grown into a national stop-work meeting of shop employees on June 2. Meetings are set for Auckland, Hamilton. Gisborne. Wellington. Christchurch. Grevmouth, and Dunedin. A recommendation by the Shop Employees’ Association, that direct action be considered in

s'opposition to the Govern e'ment’s bill, will be conn sidered. A large turnout is o expected. o “The mass protest is t. because the Minister of I Labour (Mr Gordon) has said - that the amended bill will be i- returned to Pariament soon n for its second reading. - ' Mr - Alderdice said. "The submissions by the ; Shop Employees' Association Ito have the bill withdrawn 1i have been rejected. The talks'ing stage is over.” he said 5 [ Members of the Canter II bury branch of the Hotel -■Hospital. Restaurant, and -'Related Trades Union work1' ing in restaurants, coffee iI bars, or cafeterias have been "urged by the union to attend t i the Christchurch stop-wor' i 1 meeting.