Appeal date set

Press, 7 March 1978, Page 6

Appeal date set

April 4 has been fixed as; s.the date for the appeal by) . oil companies agamst a deci-, sion by the South Island Con-1 j'ciliator (Mr L. Fortune) ini fl favour of the tanker drivers; . in the dispute which left) . many petroi pumps in Christ-) church dry in November. The firms are appealing to 1 the Industrial Court on the) 1 grounds tnat the decision was; . erroneous in fact, in law,' e iand in its interpretation of " the Oil Companies’ Drivers ) Award. ~ Mr Fortune, in his decision I I of December 9. said that the ij hardship borne by the public; e ) during the tanker dispute,) c ovei safety switches, could jhave been relieved at any

)time had the oil companies. I put the welfare of the public) ) before a point of principle. ■ j As chairman of a disputes) icommittee which he set up! '■to try and settle the row,) ■ Mr Fortune said that drivers) (told by their employers to) ) deliver petrol to stations] i'normally serviced by BP and) : I Europa drivers, who were ;;on strike, were justified in! refusing to make the deliver-; 'les. The drivers, who were! issued with default notices) i and whose pay was sus- ; pended, were not in breach of) u their award, Mr Fortune held. I .•It followed that the employ-' I ers were not entitled to make; ndeductions of pay.