Labour asks unions for co-operation on wages

Press, 13 November 1981, Page 1

Labour asks unions for co-operation on wages

Pa Gisborne Trade unions would have to co-operate with a Labour government on pay claims if they get concessions through tax’changes, said .the Leader of the Opposition' (Mr Rowling) yesterday. Answering a question when he called at a fertiliser plant near Napier. Mr Rowling said that Labour would negotiate with unions on an effective system “that allows the maximum, if not total, free wage bargaining." “However, it will be a quid pro quo: if we are going to

have significant tax concessions we expect the unions to take that into consideration in the wage bargaining area,” he said. “If some unions had a total disregard for the concessions we would have to think twice. We would have to discuss the matter with the Federation of Labour, ask it to keep its unions in reason-

able line and, if it could not do that, we would be back in the field again.” Mr Rowling said. “A government has to govern. We have to get inflation under control at the same time as giving workers a fair deal. The ideal was free bargaining, but all unions would have to ‘play the game,’" he said.

Mr Rowling was asked if Labour would reintroduce its property speculation tax., He said. “Probably.” On a talk-back radio programme in Napier yesterday morning he said a Labour government would not stop a South African yacht competing in the round-the-world race from coming to New Zealand. His government would only stop South African teams, which would be representing their country. The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) was reported to

have challenged Mr Rowling to state his party's policy as it concerned the yacht's visit. Mr Rowling flew from Napier to Wairoa, then drove to Gisborne, making several whistle stops. These included a call on the 147 pupils of Nuhaka Primary School, about 16km from Gisborne. He also met about 22 local people when he stopped at the Nuhaka garage and was later welcomed on to the Maori Battalion marae, 14km from Gisborne. During the drive he talked to Gisborne citizens band radio operators from his car radio.