Demarcation stalemate

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 2

Demarcation stalemate

A stalemate has been reached in the demarcation dispute between the Canterbury Drivers’ Union and the Timber Workers’ Union.

The dispute resulted on Wednesday in a black ban being imposed by the drivers on three Canterbury cartage companies. Employees of the companies had been members of the Drivers’ Union until they were signed on by the Timber Workers’ Union. A Canterbury Trades Council committee has considered the matter and has recommended that the men remain members of the Drivers’ Union until a legal judgment is made. However,

i the timber workers refuse to i accept this. The three companies involved are R. S. Payne, Ltd; i Transport North Canterbury, Ltd; and R. R. Price, Ltd.

Their representatives met yesterday to discuss the issue, according to the secretary of Price’s (Mr N. F. Moffat). He said that no firm decision had been made, however. The timber workers had referred the matter to the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger), he said. A response was expected this morning. Until then there would be no change in the situation. Drivers at the Christchurch factory of Lion Breweries will return to work this morning after walking off the job yesterday. They had taken this action to back up the Drivers’ Union call for discussion on a recent suspension of drivers, according to the union secretary (Mr P. R. Liggett). He said drivers had been suspended by the company while work was still available, during the April strike of brewery engineers. However, a date for the discussions had now been set, and the men would be back at work today.