Bus drivers' award talks fail

Press, 15 September 1980, Page 1

Bus drivers' award talks fail

Bus drivers’ award (talks have broken down . after nine days of negotiation; But the advocate for. the ’ Tramways Workers’-union* Mr H, P. .Stubbs,, . woqld not say , last. ■ evening whether industrial action would follow. . The third of a three-day series of conciliation talks was adjourned sine die by the union on Friday in Christchurch. The Tramways .Union covers public, passenger transport .in Christchurch, Auckland, New Plymouth, Welling*ton, " Dunedin, and Invercargill;. ' : ■■ ■' : ’ ■ Mr Stubbs said, the union’s national council would meet within two weeks to review the employers* offer and the union’s response., .

He said that the union (would consider a wide «of options but; ■ he> would not comment on.. what , these entailed. .The two parties had .been - some distance from a settlement . when the union decided to; “take time out to reflect” on its position. , The employers’ last offer had been unaccep-' table. ■ ; The employers’advocate, Mr V. R. Jamieson, said he was concerned, that , the union would inconvenience , the public “rather than ■ thrashing it out with the employers at the table.” Mr Jamieson said that the two parties had been very' close to a settlement ' but “something had gone wrong at the end.”