Union siege of Waiouru expected

Press, 11 October 1979, Page 1

Union siege of Waiouru expected

PA Wellington Waiouru Military Camp almost certainly will come under siege by trade unions this afternoon. Peace in the five-week-old cleaners’ strike battle for a return to State pay rates depends entirely on the Government. Indications yesterday were that the Government will decline to become involved. It is expected to reject a Federation of Labour request that it set up a Committee of Inquiry into the camp dispute.

The 33 striking cleaners will meet at the camp gates at 1 p.m. today. If the Government, as expected. does nothing about their claim, a picket line will straddle the camp entrance.

In line with a request by the F.0.L., no other trade unionists are likely to break the picket. The result would be a total stop to the flow of essential goods and services into and from the camp.

The Waiouru conflict has stalemated negotiations on new pay terms for the commercial cleaning work* force. Cleaning industry employees yesterday refused to enter award talks in Wellington until the cleaners’ strike was called off. The employers’ advocate, Mr M. Clarke, said the union refused to attend a disputes committee hearing last Friday and, as the strike had been referred to the Arbitration Court, was ignoring a legal requirement to return to work. The Cleaners’ Federation national secretary. Mr P. Kelly, said he was still waiting to hear from the Labour Department and the F.O.L. They are looking into a proposal for an inquiry into the background of the dispute, which started last month when the union sought higher State rates for members employed at Waiouru by a Wellington contractor.