S.I.S. accused of spying on Chch union office

Press, 11 October 1979, Page 1

S.I.S. accused of spying on Chch union office

•The Security Intelligence Service tried to spy on the headquarters of the trade-union movement in Christchurch during the recent award negotiations by the Drivers’ Union, it was alleged in Christchurch yesterday. The S.LS. says the allegation is a ‘‘load of baloney.” The allegation was made by the secretary of the Canterbury Drivers’ Union (Mr P. R. Liggett), who is an executive member of the Canterbury Trades Council. Mr Liggett declined to name either the tenant allegedly approached by the S.LS or the other union secretary allegedly involved. “I believe it was a

deliberate attempt by the Government to try to find out who the employers were who tvere prepared to agree to the 11 per cent settlement on wages the drivers were seeking,” said Mr Liggett. The Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger) had asked the Canterbury Drivers’ Union office in Christchurch for a list of Canterbury employers who had agreed to pay the 11 per cent increase, he said. The list had not been supplied. “I told the Labour Department it was a private matter between the employers and the union, but if Mr Bolger wanted to look at the list he was welcome to come down to Christchurch," said Mr Liggett.

The Drivers’ Union had nothing to hide, he said. “The only thing in our office that might be described as ‘Lettish’ is the Socialist Unity Party’s newsletter,” said Mr Liggett. “I am quite disgusted bv the tactics of the S.LS.” Mr Liggett said he would bring the matter up at the next executive meeting of the Canterbury Trades Council. He also' would write to the director of the S.LS. in Wellington (Mr P. L. Molineaux), a former magistrate in Christchurch. The allegation is completely untrue, according to a spokesman for the S.LS. in Wellington. “A load of baloney, codswallop, call it what you will,” the spokesman said.