Ultimatum to strikers

Press, 28 April 1980, Page 1

Ultimatum to strikers

Striking workers employed bi’ Musgrove Bros, Ltd, in Christchurch have been issued with notices warning them that unless they report for work today they will be dismissed. The workers, who are members of various tradeunions, have been on strike since April 8 in a dispute about how much redundancy pay should be paid by the company io 20 workers who will be laid off before June. The notices, signed by the managing director (Mr G. G. Vickers) said that . thu workers would be dismissed from tomorrow if they did not report at their normal starting time or reach him by 5 p.m. today with- a reason for not being able to start. Mr Vickers said last evening that a few workers had said they would start work as requested. “I want everyone back ■ who wants to return, but could do with a lot fewer if we had to,” he said. Mi Vickers said the workers had been the "meat in the sandwich” in the disnute. “jammed between the level' of redundanev the unions seek and I the leve’ that we are able . to meet.” The workers met last week and refected the

company’s new offer on redundancy. The difference between what the unions sought and what the company offered amounted to about $9OOO for the 20 workers, Mr Vickers said. Mr W. R. Cameron, the president of the Canterbury Trades Council, said last evening that it was too early to comment on the company’s latest move to issue notices threatening dismissal. Trades Council officials would meet the striking workers today, he said. The workers handed the dispute to the council when they went on strik . The council imposed a black ban, which still applies.