Industrial stoppages near record

Press, 14 December 1977, Page 1

Industrial stoppages near record

By

GLENN HASZARD

Serious industrial unrest continues to push New Zealand towards record statistics on stoppages for the year. The latest statistics, published in the November issue of the Monthly Abstract of Statistics, show that in the nine months to September 30 there were 413 stoppages in 504 firms, affecting 115,000 workers. These figures are not as bad as those of the nine months last year when 416 stoppages in 760 firms, involved 155,241 workers. But last year was the worst on record, except perhaps for 1951, the year of the prolonged waterfront strike. Also, since September 30 this year, more stoppages have included those by freezing works tradesmen, coach drivers. Auckland storemen, fire-sprinkler fitters, petrol-tanker drivers, journalists, brewery tradesmen, Auckland bakery workers, rubber

workers, wool-store workers, seamen, and others. Some of these disputes have not been settled, including those affecting fire-sprinkler fitters, brewery tradesmen, wool-store workers, and freezingworks tradesmen. Meat workers, who struck at the end of last year, still have not had their national award settled; they are holding stop-work meetings to decide what action they will take. The national secretary of the union (Mr F. E. McNulty) said yesterday that most meetings not already held would now be in the New Year. No decision on action would be made until all recommendations had been received and the union’s managecommittee met in January. A bright note on the industrial front yesterday was the settlement of the award for wool scourers. They had rejected the employers’ offer made in

October and threatened a load-out ban, but this was called off when a date was set for more talks. The wool scourers, who are employed in Canterbury and South Canterbury are members of the Meat Workers’ Union. The secretary (Mr McNulty) said that the main changes

in the award were a restructuring of some of the wage rates and an over-all wage rise of 94 per cent. In Christchurch yesterday, boilermakers held a stop-work meeting and decided to take the day off in protest against what they called the poor response of employers’ assessors at conciliation talks which were adjourned last week. They will meet again on Monday. More serious was the decision by Canterbury’ members of the Stationary Engine Drivers’ Union to strike at eight Christchurch

factories for 48 hours from midnight last night. About 80 members of the union met yesterday and rejected the offer made by the Canterbury employers. They decided to meet again on Friday morning. The employers’ spokesman (Mr H. M. Barrowclough) said he believed

that the presence of the union’s national secretary (Mr Bill Andersen) at yesterday’s meeting of boilermen was decisive. Four Canterbury branch representatives had earlier agreed to put the Canterbury’ employers’ offer to local members. But Mr Andersen had said yesterday that even if the Canterbury employers had given everything sought, stoppages would have occurred in Canterbury, said Mr Barrowclough. “The offer by Canterbury employers was a bona flde one and was acknowledged by Mr Andersen to be near

to what the union sought. “I suggested that it was not unreasonable for the union to show a gesture of good faith by allowing at least a little period without stoppages in Canterbury to allow the possibility of exploring further ways of reaching settlement. “Mr Andersen said he could not prevent the stoppages even if he wanted to, and that he did not want to prevent them,” said Mr Barrowclough. A meeting of employers yesterday agreed to call meetings nationally as soon as possible, and the possibility of a compulsory’ conference of the parties was raised. The Acting Minister of Labour had been informed of the position. Mr Barrowclough said that because Christmas was near, employers were reluctant to suspend other workers, but it might be difficult for some companies to avoid this if they had many workers dependent on steam from boilers. Canterbury employers

would meet again next Monday; they had not withdrawn their offer. The eight companies affected in Canterbury by the boilermen’s stoppage are: Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, Lion Breweries, Bradford Dyeworks, Wattie Industries, Atlas Appliances, D.Y.C. Yeast, Associated British Cables, and Lane Walker Rudkin. Three other companies may also be affected. They are Alex Harvey Industries, Peach Products, and the milk powder section of Canterbury Dairy Farmers. Rubber workers employed at Dunlop New Zealand, Ltd, at Woolston, have been on strike since last Friday in protest against the company’s refusal to pay increased bonuses. Conciliation talks for wool, grain and hide workers will take place on Friday, not January 16. as reported yesterday. The workers will meet again on January 4 to review progress.