Unions file claims in defiance of freeze

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 3

Unions file claims in defiance of freeze

PA Auckland ' Electrical workers are about to file a claim fo’r a 22 per cent wage rise in spite of the wage freeze. The national secretary of the Electrical Workers’ Union, Mr A. J. Neary, said from Wellington yesterday that he hoped to file the application in the Arbitration Court this week. The electrical workers would then join the Drivers’ Federation, which had already filed a claim for a flat $35 a week .rise in four awards.

Also ignoring the wage freeze regulations are the Foodstuffs and Chemical Workers’ Union, which has filed for a 22 per cent increase for the General Foods and Ice-Cream Workers' Award, and the newly formed Early Childhood

Workers’ Union, representing employees of day-care centres.

These claims have been filed with the Court in Wellington since the freeze was announced last month.

The Court registrar. Mr John Hall, said that he had advised those unions of the regulations now in force. The unions had . replied that they wished to proceed, said Mr Hall. As a result, conciliators were being appointed for hearings and the conciliation process was "proceeding." In the case of the childhood workers, it was their first award and Mr Hall said the union was anxious that day-care centre employers recognise that an award should be created. On those grounds alone, it should be

possible for a hearing on that matter, he said. Claims for all awards could be altered at any time before conciliation.

Mr Neary said that his union was ignoring the wage freeze “because I cannot see it lasting the way costs are going up and the wage packet is diminishing." “It is unreasonable to expect the wage freeze to continue," he said. “It will have to go." Drivers expect their conciliation round to begin on August 9. The first round of the electrical award negotiations is likely to begin on September 6. This would be followed by the Electrical Supply Authorities aw T ard (September 27), electronic workers (October 5). and electrical maintenance workers (October 11).