Timber union takes strong line on drug offenders

Press, 6 December 1979, Page 3

Timber union takes strong line on drug offenders

PA Rotorua ■ Timber workers convicted of drug offences at work will be expelled from the Timber Industry Employees’ Union. At its national conference in Rotorua yesterday, the union voted unanimously to take the strong line of re- I tracting a member’s “ticket” ; on conviction by a court of a drug-related offence. The union’s national secre- : tary (Mr R. C. Hamilton) i raised the matter at the con- i ference. He said that from information received, he knew : drugs were making inroads into the work places of members. “This industry has one of the highest premiums paid under the workers’ compensation scheme because of ;

the hazards of the occupation, without adding the explosive issue of workers using equipment, saws, and machinery to the detriment of themselves and others through an involvement with drugs,” Mr Hamilton said. He had reports of cannabis being grown in a timber yard nurtured by the yard floodlights, he said. Another conference delegate said the Forest Service in the Coromandel area was concerned about the amount of cannabis being planted among young trees in forestry developments on the peninsula. Other delegates quoted instances of workers being approached on their work sites and offered drugs. Initially the meeting agreed to draw any illegal activities regarding the

growing, selling, or using of drugs at work to police attention.

But after further discussion, the union action of retracting a man’s union card upon conviction in a court was agreed to by about 30 delegates representing timber workers throughout New Zealand. “It is better for the union to be accused of harshly treating a member than for it to know another was' killed through the action of one under the influence of drugs,” said Mr Hamilton. “By this measure, we can stop that happening,” he said. The union’s national president (Mr R. D. Richardson) said he fully supported the action and that he thought it was a good step for the union to take.