Power to be cut in rents protest

Press, 11 May 1979, Page 2

Power to be cut in rents protest

Half of New Zealand's power generators will be switched off for two hours from 9.30 a.m. on the mornings of May 22 and 23 while electricity workers take industrial action in protest about rent rises on their houses, reporte the Press Association from Wellington. For 48 hours starting at midnight on May 21, ah sub-station staff and line men will ban overtime and call-outs.

The president of the Public Service Association (Mr D. H. Thorp) said the action was timed to have minimum effect on the public. Enough power would be available for all essential services.

Industrial power supplies are most likely to be affected. The action follows the Government’s action in increasing urban house rents by about $2 to $13.79 a week and rural rents by about $1 to $7.32. Mr Thorp said the rent increases had been im-

posed while the P.S.A. was negotiating with the State Services Commission for a long-term solution to he house-rental dispute. The issue first flared up 'tree years ago. Since hen, negotiations have >een on a scheme to allow corkers to buy the houses nd for a rent-setting formula.

Mr Thorp said the dispute in 1976 had been caused by the Government’s breaking of an agreement to freeze rents until the issue of an equity-purchase scheme was settled.

It was deplorable that three years after that dispute, the Government now was once again provoking a fresh dispute after trying to break another agreement made between the P.S.A. and the fromer Minister of State Services, Mr J. B. Gordon. The rent increases have been imposed on 1300 rural and 500 urban houses.