Boilermakers non-registration ‘scandalous’

Press, 7 November 1978, Page 10

Boilermakers non-registration ‘scandalous’

PA Wellington p The Government’s refusal,’ to recognise the Wellington' Boilermakers’ Society beginning to have scandalous, repercussions, said the presi-i dent of the Federation of Labour (Sir Thomas Skinner). A prefabricated container crane, requiring less than six weeks work to be in working 1 order, had been lying on the, wharves at Wellington for! eights months, said Sir Thomas. Only boilermakers could assemble the crane, but no contract could be let until the deregistered boileri makers had been re-regis-itered by the Labour Departintent. I When the Wellington) Boilermakers’ Union was de- ; registered by the Government 1 | in September, 1976, thei i boilermakers formed them-| 1 selves into a society which i the Government has refused ■ to register as a union under!

I the Industrial Relations Act. ! The crane holdup, which iwas costing the Wellington I Harbour Board $l5OO a day jin interest charges, was "one of those issues the Government would like to keep quiet,” Sir Thomas said. “A new centra! library and a new post office, in which there is a lot of steelwork, are to be built in Wellington,” (said Sir Thomas. “Unless this I issue is ironed out, neither of those jobs will get off the ground.” Timber president Mr R. McNeil, manager of Smith and Smith’s, Ltd, Auckland, has been elpcted i president of the Tauber Merchants’ Federation. He replaces Mr R. H. Carter. Mr ! McNeil is a member of the ■ Council of the Timber Industry and a former president of I the Auckland Timber Mer- ■ cants’ Association.