Airline strike threat off

Press, 15 April 1978, Page 6

Airline strike threat off

PA Auckland A threatened strike by Air New Zealand stewards and hostesses from Monday was defused by a Government conciliator yesterday. Mr F. M. Gerbic, one of the industrial conciliators in Auckland, said Air New Zealand and the Airlines Stewards and Hostesses Union had been on a collision course, and he had been obliged to act. He has called the parties to a dispute committee, to be held this afternoon. The stewards and hostesses.

intended to strike if the company began a charter arrangement with Singapore Airlines. Air New Zealand planned to start the DCIO charter on Monday. The service had been postponed twice before at a cost of $lOB,OOO and a meeting of the parties before Mr Gerbic last Wednesday had failed to reach a settlement. Mr Gerbic said all of Air New Zealand’s overseas flights could have been grounded by the dispute, i “They were heading on a! collision course,” he said. I

“The meeting on Wednesday was not adjourned with the intention that they would immediately head off on a collision course. “When I heard that they were heading that way I proposed a reconvening of the disputes committee. “One of the requirements of the disputes committee procedure is that normal work shall continue while the procedure is. carried out,” said Mr Gerbic. “I will expect that to be done.” Earlier story, page 5.