Talks with F.O.L. on

Press, 10 November 1980, Page 2

Talks with F.O.L. on

‘excessive’ wage claims PA Wellington The Minister of Labour (M~ Bolger) intends to hold talks with the president of the Federation .of Labour (Mr W .J. Knox) about what he considers to be “excessive” wage claims being sought by unions in the Wellington region’s carassembly industry. He made the remark after a meeting at the Beehive with employer representatives of General Motors, Todd Motors, Ford Motors, and the New Zealand Motor Corporation. Mr Bolger said unions under the umbrella of the Hutt' Valley-Porirua Composite Motor Agreement sought a 26 per cent increase made up of 14.35 per cent increase in basic pay, a 2.9? per cent increase in long-service payments, and the introduction of a $l5 a week bonus.

The award, which covers about 4000 workers, has just expired. f; . The employers' delegation was., led by the director of advocacy for the Employers’ Federation, Mr Max Bradford.

At the end of October, 290 workers at the New Zealand Motor Corporation’s Lower Hutt assembly plant were suspended after 18 maintenance engineers walked off the job in support of the claims. The employers fear that the dispute could grow.