Tax cuts or union action — Mr Knox

Press, 27 July 1982, Page 1

Tax cuts or union action — Mr Knox

PA Wellington The president of the Federation of Labour. Mr W. J. Knox, yesterday hinted at widespread industrial action if substantial tax reductions were not included in the Budget next week. Mr Knox said the feedback from affiliate unions was a call for action, but he said: “There won’t be any until we’ve studied the Budget fully. “If it does not contain the tax concessions we want then there could be some action." In the wake of the price and wage freeze he had advised some unions to stay at work. “It could be we'll have to bring pressure to bear in one way or another to go for a general wage order or a cost of living adjustment from the Arbitration Court." .Mr Knox said.

"No way can our people go for 12 months without anything. The price freeze is simply not working." The federation's national council would consider the Budget at its meeting on Friday week and would liaise closely with the Combined State Unions after the Budget was announced, he said. The chairman of the Combined State Unions, Mr D. H. Thorp, said last evening that a regular meeting of the organisation had been put forward from August 12 to August 9 so the Budget could be considered. “We’ll be looking at ways of updating our campaign against expenditure cuts in the wake of the Budget. It’s a case of how we’ll approach the second phase of the campaign and we’ll be working closely with the F.0.L.,” he said.