Spread of Auckland dispute deplored

Press, 26 February 1981, Page 3

Spread of Auckland dispute deplored

The spread of the Auckland airline engineers’ dispute was to be deplored, said rhe president of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr j. M. T.< Green, yesterday.

' “The Auckland engineers (went on strike against the jadvice of the other main; (centres. Having struck, they (deliberately entered restrict-1 led security areas knowing (that to do so could only re-| suit in their arrest.” he said. ■ ; “My concern is that the ir-l (responsible actions of a few, are now being hailed as a just cause by the many. This is! clearly nonsense, and to see: the Port of Lyttelton halted! by the'actions of these agents] provocateurs — for that is .what they are — is deplor-' • able,” Mr Green said. He would recommend to : tire Chamber that the law on| the rights of the individual; remain unchanged. Mr Green! jsaid. If the law allowed! •unions the right to compul-i ,'sory membership, thereby; removing an individual’s right] do choose, the law must be: 'equally severe where those: 'same protected unionists] (sought to force their wishes; !on third parties. “However, this issue is se/ (condary. The entering into a| (security area appears to be an! (illegal action which is a (matter for the courts to deterimine,” said Mr Green. i “We must not see the rule: (of law undermined, as flag-; (rant breach of the rule of' Haw can only result ultimately! lin anarchy,”, he said. | The secretary of the Can-) Iterburv branch of the Labour-] lers’ Union, Mr R. A. Lowe.; (said that the Government! (must intervene in the arrests of workers involved in peace-] jful pickets. I “New Zealand is moving; (rapidly towards- becoming a( I police State which will erode! I the rights of all New Zealand-] ■lers to peaceful protest,” Mr] jLowe said. ■ I “Freedom of speech and] ■ the right of groups and in(dividuals to make their views (known bv protesting in a peaceful manner must be defended at. all costs,” he said.