’Hazardous’ year

Press, 2 October 1979, Page 3

’Hazardous’ year

PA Wellington Ihe last year had been ■ne of the most difficult and hazardous that the Combined State Unions and its execu-j five had faced, said the retiring chairman (Mr I. E. Reddish) in his annual report. ■ In this time the Government has continued a complex assault on the economic situation of wage and salary! earners, an attack on the scope’ and standard of work being done in Government departments, and repressive action against both State and private-sector unions," he said. The Government seemed

determined to reduce further] the standard of living by giving free rein to manufacturers and employers by, eliminating price controls' ;and repressing wage rises. "In spite of Government] claims that it was initiating' a round of free wage bargaining, it is clear that this, was never its intention.) There has in fact been in) the mind of the Government,) (a series of limits and re-1 strictions which are no less! sinister from being unstated’ in law.” he said. Mr Reddish said the hid-) den policy had surfaced with' the introduction of the: ’Remuneration Act which) provided the Government] ’with complete powers to'

icontrol wage and salary in- 1 (creases. ! "In terms of the State iwage-fixing legislation mem-! bers of the C.S.U. have a| direct interest in the way in I (which the government, seeksj to interfere with negotiations in the private sector.; Our general adjustments ail; depend on the success of ne-| gotiations by private sector, unions. i : Mr D. H. Thorp, president! lof the Public Service Associ-j iation has been elected chair-! Iman of the C.S.U. in succes-i !sion to Mr Reddish, who has' retired, ending an associ-! ation of 26 years. j The vice-chairman is Mr! B. A. Webster and the Sec-! 'retary, Mr W. E. B. Tucker. (