Drivers warn employers

Press, 31 May 1978, Page 6

Drivers warn employers

PA Wanganui The Drivers’ Federation said last evening that transport firms could face immediate industrial action now that employers had called off a meeting planned for tomorrow ,and one firm had announced it would sack all its drivers. A Drivers’ Union official said that the move by a Carterton firm, Pinfolds, to close and dismiss its 22 drivers could “set alight” the dispute over drivers’ wage claims.

The employers and the federation were to meet informally in Wellington tomorrow. where a new employers’ proposal for a threeyear award was to be aired. But employers called off the meeting yesterday. The secretary of the Drivers’ Federation (Mr S. ' MacCaffley) said from Wei-

lington last evening that nd reason for cancelling the meeting had been given, and no date set for another meeting. This meant that 48-hour national stoppages, planned to start after June 7, could now, in some cases, be advanced. Mr Alan Pinfold, the owner! of Pinfolds Transport, Ltd,! of Carterton, said that he! “had had enough” of the Drivers’ Union. "It’s no use going on,” he said. “All we do is hold meetings to solve problems. No matter what you give them today they will want more tomorrow.” Mr Pinfold blamed the drivers’ “action committee” for the constant disruptions which he said had forced him to close. “Most of the men wanted to work. It was just the action committee that caused the problems,” he said.