Printers’ claim rejected

Press, 11 August 1979, Page 2

Printers’ claim rejected

PA Wellington A claim for $6 a week industry allowance for commercial printing trade workers has been rejected by the Arbitration Court.

National stoppages by the printers over the claim occurred earlier this year. After the decision, Mr S. Marks, national secretary of the Printing Trades Workers’ Union, said that the Court’s “moderate stance” might no longer be acceptable to the union membership. He said that the union’s national executive would convene immediately to consider “steps to secure wage justice for many thousands of printing trade workers.” The union, Mr Marks said, had hoped to avoid confrontations in the printing industry similar to those which had occurred overseas because of the introduction of new technology.

“However, the Court’s decision has put the industry back in the dark ages, to the days when sledgehammers were used to settle arguments over the introduction of new machinery,” he said.

“Avoiding confrontation was the union’s greatest concern, but it will now have to reconsider its attitude to the introduction of new technology. “Printing trade workers still believe it is unfair that their status as craft workers remains downgraded,” Mr Marks said.