Boilermakers back?

Press, 26 May 1979, Page 1

Boilermakers back?

PA Wellington The Government and the Federation of Labour yesterday worked *out a peace formula which should result jn the completion of the stagnated Bank of New Zealand contract in Wellington and perhaps even the re-regis-tration of the 200-stropg Wellington Boilermakers’ Society. It was worked out at a meeting involving most of the F. 0.1.. executive, led by the president (Mr W. J. Knox) and the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger). * After 90 minutes of

talks, the parties emerged from Mr Bolger’s office to announce a four-part formula in which the F.O.L. accepts responsibility for handling the affairs of the boilermakers and negotiating on their behalf for the completion of structural steelwork on the Bank of New Zealand job. The formula also allows fo’ the Wellington container crane to be completed. In the crucial final paragraph of the formula, the Government agrees that it will recognise the boilermakers if the bank job

agreement is carried out. But there is one more hurdle to overcome — the engineers have still to accept the formula. It will be put to their executive by the F.O.L. early next week.' When asked whether he thought the boilermakers would agree, Mr Knox bluntly replied: “They will have to accept it.” He later elaborated by saying that the F.O.L. was playing a responsible role in the dispute and the matter could now be discussed by the boilermakers’ executive.