Army trainees told they will lose jobs

Press, 19 November 1977, Page 3

Army trainees told they will lose jobs

PA ' Timaru Fifty men employed on the Upper Waitaki hydroelectric project — 5 per cent of the work-force — have been threatened with dismissal if they attend a twoweek Territorial camp later this month. They have been told by the project engineer (Mr S. N. J. Smith) that they will be marked absent without leave, and if gone for more than five days, will lose their jobs. According to the Volunteers’ Employment Protection Act, 1973, however, workers cannot be dismissed for reasons of voluntary service or training. Giving this information yesterday, the district officer of the Labour Department (Mt Te R. Maika) said that the act was binding on the Crown. Mr Smith confirmed yesterday that the men had been told that their application for leave to attend the camp had been declined. ‘‘They were told that they

would be marked absent without leave, and if they stayed away for more than five days, would lose their jobs,” he said. “This is standard practice. “What would your boss say if 5 per cent of his staff came to him and said they wanted to take a fortnight off? “He would say, ‘No,’ and that is our situation. We have a job to build a power station, not to man the Army. The men can partake of Army life in their own time.” Mr Smith said that one man had already had three months leave to attend Army camps this year and was now seeking another three weeks. He could not afford to lose 5 per cent of his workforce at the peak of the construction season. “The Army’s needs and our needs are not compatible,” said Mr Smith.

Captain I. Schofield, commander of C company of the 2nd Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, said that the Army had writ-

ten to Mr Smith seeking leave on behalf of the 50 men involved. Mr Smith had replied that leave had been declined for the reason that it would affect progress on the hydro-electric scheme. Captain Schofield said that he had travelled to Twizel on Thursday for talks with Mr Smith but had been given the same answer. Asked if the Army would take the matter further, he said: “Further negotiations will have to be made at a higher level.” It is known that the men, employed by the Ministry ,of Works and Development, joined the Territorials during an Army recruitment drive at Twizel in August. They have since attended two week-end camps — one for armoured personnel carriers at Tekapo and the other a shooting week-end at Fairlie. The present application for leave was to attend the annual Territorial camp to be held at Westport from November 27. The camp will last two weeks and will be attended by some 400 men.