P.S.A. line unchanged

Press, 15 August 1978, Page 23

P.S.A. line unchanged

PA Wellington [ I The Public Service Association is expected to continue] |a tough industrial line under! {new leadership chosen at its] L annua! conference last week. i Association members have] I engaged in militant action; with increasing frequency; during the four years ini office of the retiring presi-i {dent. Mr J. F. Turner. I The trend is unlikely to] reverse during a time of !economic stringencies which] [have led to tough staff ceilI ing policies and falling buying power for wage-earners. I The new president, Mr D.[ |H. Thorp, officially took] office at the end of the con-i ference. but association] {members, and the Govern 1 ] ment. will scarcely notice any difference in stance. i Mr Thorp has a back- ] ground of active in-] 'volvement with the associi ation and he is likely to identify closely with present {policies. . He supports a link with I the Federation of Labour to I give tile association more

industrial muscle, and during' ithe conference he strongly] 'rejected moves towards] : what he sees as “soft”] 'forms of worker parncipa-] ition in management. I This year’s four-day con-] i ference was far from fiery. ] ] The recently approved 8.81 [per cent pay adjustment for; I white-collar civil servants, a] ] larger increase than most | ;expected, helped co'ol dele-i •gates. . ; | So did recent association | i moves to regain control of ithe Public Service In-; i vestment Society, which ] i recently shocked many asso-] jciation” members with a; {sharp increase in the inter-] jest rate of loans. ] The Minister of State Sen] I vices (Mr Gordon) told the. [conference that state servants were likely to face] I tougher pay-fixing regu-] Nations in future. The formula used to esitablish the size of the latest general adjustment was only a temporary compromise, he said. The Government had not reached full agreement with

'State unions on the eventual (procedure, to be used, and [the present, formula would [come up for revision after [next year’s adjustment. I The dispute centred on [pay adjustments made to 'particular State groups outjside a general State pay [rise, Mr Gordon said. When [such adjustment reflected; I private sector pay rises, the ] [Government wanted to stop I 'those rises being counted < [again in a general State; 'adjustment. I “The Government will I need to see very convincing] [arguments produced to jus-i [tify any general movements I [from 1980 onwards that do] not fully eliminate double] I counting in favour of State; [servants. { “The Government believes; land endorses the principle of I I fair external relativity,” he! I said. “This principle has i [long been embodied in State; ipay fixing legislation-. ; “But also embodied in that ; legislation is the principle! that pay must be fixed In] [fairness to the taxpaying! public.” Mr Gordon said.