Railway services back to normal

Press, 5 June 1982, Page 3

Railway services back to normal

PA Wellington Railway services in Wellington returned to normal last evening after an afternoon meeting between union representatives and the Railways Corporation general manager, Mr T. M. Hayward. Mr Hayward said' last evening that the National Union of Railwaymen had agreed to an independent investigating officer's examining the shifting of a guard from long-distance passenger train services as a result of allegations of misconduct The union had not accepted the decision to move the guard, and imposed an overtime ban on passneger services until the dispute was taken to arbitration.

Railways management said the dispute should be handled by a mediator and refused the request for arbitration. The union then lifted its overtime ban •on passenger services and from midnight on Thursday imposed an overtime ban on freight services.

Mr Hayward said last evening that the national council of the N.U.R. had accepted his invitation to discuss the dispute and he had met two representatives of the council yesterday afternoon. “After discussions the representatives reported back to their national council and I have now been advised that the council has decided that rather than hold out for an arbitrator, it will accept my proposal for the appointment of an independent investigating officer.” Mr Hayward said. The officer would look into the allegations of misconduct against the guard and would also study the handling of his case, he said.

“The investigating officer will have power to question Railways employees, but will not require members of the public to restate their complaints. However, he may invite them to discuss the incident with him if he feels it will assist him in his investigation. “The agreement with the

union has brought a full return to normal work. My regret is that the national officers of the union were not prepared to come to meet me much earlier. Had they done so this prolonged stoppage would have been avoided,” Mr Hayward said. Perishable freight destined for Wellington or further north was not accepted by the Railways Corporation in Christchurch yesterday because of industrial action by railwaymen in Wellington.

The district traffic manager in Christchurch, Mr R. Campbell, said that the Railways was also advising the public not to consign any freight to the Railways in Christchurch for destinations in the North Island until further notice. Goods trains would still run north to Picton and return, but on reduced timetables. Some freight in Christchurch would probably have to be taken to intermediary stations to ease any build-up of freight at Christchurch, said Mr Campbell.