Drivers may be taken to Court, says Mr Gordon

Press, 15 June 1978, Page 6

Drivers may be taken to Court, says Mr Gordon

PA Auckland The Minister of Labour (Mr Gordon) Mid yesterday that his department was still seeking legal advice on possible breaches of the law by the Northern Drivers’ Union in taking direct action during recent pay talks. The department would prosecute if sufficient evidence was available. The union’s case will be discussed at a meeting of the Federation of Labour’s executive in Wellington today and the union will hold a meeting of vs delegates toStrike action in protest at the collapse of national negotiations is not expected before early next week. The secretary of the Can-, terbury Drivers’ Union (Mr P R. Liggett) said thati drivers were poised to strike*

.for 48 hours over the pay claims but they would not strike this week. The Drivers’ Federation would consult the Federation of Labour today. The Federation withdrew its claims from the national award talks after what Mr Liggett described as a complete breach of faith by the employers. The employers had promised that a two-day strike by Gisborne drivers would not affect the talks but had changed their minds and had used the strike as an excuse for refusing to continue the i talks. Drivers in Canterbury outside Christel urch have voted ■to go on strike for a week' after the 48-hour stoppage if necessary. West Coast drivers met ini Greymouth yesterday and de-i cided to support any action! ■ advocated by their national!

Stop-work meetings have also been held in < her centres and more will be held before the end of the week. The employers’ advocate (Mr J. S. Beattie) said he was disappointed about the breakdown in the talks, especially after the employers had made concerted efforts to come up with a new pay offer on Monday. The offer, which would! boost drivers’ earnings by' about 9 per cent, is still 6i ner cent short of the drivers’ demands. F.O.L. support for the driv-

ers is almost assured. Last month the F.O.L. condemned the Government threat that the drivers should “cool it.” A meeting of the executive of the Northern Drivers’ Union yesterday asked the federation and the F.O.L. to endorse the calls for 48-hour stoppages and further stoppages, including rolling strikes, “in order to win a proper settlement.” The secretary of the union (Mr G. H. Andersen) said he was convinced the Government wanted to find some reason to deregister the union. “We will be taking further steps to strengthen our union against deregistration," he said. "We realise that the fight for wage justice and the fight against deregistration will go hand in hand.”