‘Unions control growth’

Press, 25 February 1980, Page 10

‘Unions control growth’

PA Dunedin The attitude of the trade-union movement will determine to a large extent how quickly New Zealand can achieve the required rate of economic growth, the Minister of Labour, (Mr Bolger) has said. Mr Bolger was addressing the Otago division of the Institute of Management. He said unions could destroy the willingness of others to invest and take risks, by “needless, and stupid strike, action, such as we haverecently seen in the Cook Strait, ferries. “There is, for example, little use ; in ; my encouraging the expansion of horticulture to those people of Central Otago if they cannot be sure of getting their existing crop to the market because of industrial action in ? the ferries,” the Minister said. The nation’s' .labour force was increasing at a faster rate than the state of economic growth was

creating jobs, he said, but the increase in employment last year was mostly, in the private sector and this was an encouraging trend. ’ . .-s'- . ' He said the Governnient aimed for an annual economic growth target of 3 per cent. A much faster rate of economic growth had to be achieved to increase jobs in the private sector. If employers adopted the attitude that they were only prepared to recruit trained people, it meant the taxpayer was being asked to meet the whole cost; he said. “Clearly', that is. a totally unacceptable approach. I believe employers have a clear responsibility to employ young people and equip them with necessary job skills.” After his address, Mr Bolger met a deputation from the Otago - Chamber of Commerce transport committee, which complained about the frequent disruptions to the. Cook Strait ferry services. ’