Wgtn papers close for week-end

Press, 19 August 1978, Page 1

Wgtn papers close for week-end

PA Wellington The Independent Newspapers, Ltd, dispute spread to all publications of the group yesterday, halting production of the “Evening Post” and “Dominion” in Wellington, and the “Times” in Hamilton. There will be no “Sunday Times” or “Sunday News” on Sunday, and workers were out at “N.Z. Truth” and the racing and sporting publications that I.N.L. produces. Trouble flared late last week when I.N.L. announced it would cut staff 10 per cent and retire all those aged over 60. The first sackings came on Thursday at I.N.L. Print, at Taita, near Wellington, where dismissal notices were handed to 36 of the 360-odd employed, and the group announced the axing of the “Sentinel,” a Wellington suburban giveaway. At a meeting yesterday morning, “Evening Post” journalists voted to stay out until Monday, when they will resume at their normal time to produce Monday’s edition. “Dominion” and “Sunday Times” journalists voted yesterday afternoon to stay out until Sunday. At the Wellington newspapers, and at the “Times” and the “Sunday News” in Hamilton, the printers also voted to stay out until the shifts needed to produce Monday editions, end-

ing any thought of executive-written newspapers. Journalists at the “Times” remained on duty, even though they had no paper to write for. They belong to the Northern Journalists’ Union, unlike their Wellington colleagues who belong to the New Zealand Journalists’ Union. The secretary of the Northern Journalists’ Union, Mr H. Callagher, said from Auckland that the Hamilton journalists could not stop work at the same time as the printers because they had to give 24 hours notice. Mr Wally Clement, national president of the Printers’ Union, said that no change in attitude by the printers and stereo men could be expected until the directors of I.N.L. took stock of the situation. Mr Clement also said that the staff of the I.N.L. commercial printing plant at Taita who, on resuming normal work yesterday morning, had heard that the staff of the “Evening Post” stopped work until Monday, and decided to do likewise and walked out. The group managing director of I.N.L. (Mr J. A. Burnet) has confirmed that some advertising staff, as well as the editorial and production staffs had stopped work until Monday. The management regretted that this action had been taken, he said.

“Management has not yet been asked for a meeting with representatives of the combined unions of the company, but is ready and willing to talk with union representatives at any time once normal work is resumed,” said Mr Burnet. “The current industrial disruption is greatly regretted because it can only lead to loss of wages for the staff,” he said. Mr Burnet said he was greatly disappointed that the national secretary of the New Zealand Journalists’ Union (Mr M. P. Conway) had said that assurances had been given to the union that no publications would cease. This was not true, said Mr Burnet. He had gone to great lengths to explain to national representatives of the journalists’ union that it was most likely that the “Sentinel” would have to cease publication because of its substantial losses. A public statement had since been made that the “Sentinel” newspaper would cease publication and the last issue would be next week. Publication of “Friday Flash,” the national weekly racing newspaper, was delayed 24 hours by the industrial action at I.N.L. Print, Ltd, Taita. Consequently, this week’s edition will have only limited circulation outside the Wellington province.