Start to ballot on voluntary unionism

Press, 5 October 1977, Page 2

Start to ballot on voluntary unionism

PA Nelsonl The Government’s prom-, ised ballot of union members I will begin today at Golden] Bay. Ballot papers will be sent to 198 members of the Golden Bay Cement Work-1 era* Union asking them if ■ they want voluntary or compulsory union membership. The ballot will close at ] noon on October 19. The papers will then be opened

at Takaka by Mr R. J. Cave, the Labour Department’s Nelson district officer, before scrutineers. Any papers not returned to the Department of Labour returning officer by the closiing time will be declared in- ; valid. The ballot result will be determined on the majority of valid votes cast. If there is a tie, the vote will go in I favour of the unqualified clause being retained.

The decision to proceed with the ballot was made just before noon yesterday after more than eight hours of negotiations between Labour Department and union officials. The Registrar of Industrial Unions (Mr R. A. Quay) has agreed. to a union demand that it be able to appoint two scrutineers. “It is a close-knit union I and there should not be any problem with scrutineers ■ being appointed,” he said. However, Mr Quay said this was not a precedent that would necessarily be followed in other union ballots. “The union here is reluctant to have the ballot but they realise the Minister has ordered it and I am under instruction * to run it.” The ballot paper to be sent to Golden Bay cement workers is slightly smaller than foolscap size. The top half is devoted to an explanation of the ballot. Beneath, the voter is given two options: “I am in favour of the unqualified preference provision remaining in the collective agreement covering my work.” “I am opposed to the unqualified preference provision in the collective agreement covering my work. The provision should be removed.” The voter is asked to tick the option he prefers. The union’s secretary (Mr J. Smith) said he and Mr Quay had worked out the roll. He said he was : surprised that the number went as high as 198 but this included part-time cleaners . and “six to eight who joined the company recently.” ■