F.O.L. says no to U.K. workers
PA Auckland An industrial crisis hanging over the Marsden Point oil refinery extensions project deepened yesterday when the Federation of Labour declined to give its approval to the recruitment of 50 British boilermakers. The federation's president. Mr W. J. Knox, said the decision was made because of what he said was the attempt by the construction consortium to break a site agreement clause covering overseas recruitment.
He said that approval would not be given until the consortium. Badger-Chiyoda Joint Venture 2, complied with the agreement, which called for the use of local labour to the greatest possible extent. Mr Knox said, "The trade union movement stands committed to the full, maximum, and unconditional use of local labour.” He made the comments after a five-hour meeting in Auckland with representatives of the consortium. Officials of the site unions were also at the talks. The decision, which was attacked by the chief industrial manager for the consortium, Mr Ronald Richards, could lead to severe delays in construction. Mr Richards said that it would be impossible to build the $1035 million extensions without overseas labour.
"The unions are still saying they will not agree to the company's hiring any overseas labour unless
guarantees are given to employ every existing member of their unions, irrespective of their previous work history," he said. The company's position was that it would hire all suitable New Zealand labour, but overseas labour was still necessary to build the project. Mr Richards said that the company would decide its reaction to Mr Knox’s request to address the workforce at a meeting on Monday morning. Mr Richards also said that he did not believe that the consortium had “in any way” breached the site agreement provisions. Mr Knox said that the F.O.L. and unions with members working on the project were not closing the door completely. It was up to the consortium to comply with the provisions of the agreement. In that case the F.O.L. and the unions would be happy to arrange a further meeting to discuss overseas recruitment. Mr Knox will travel to Marsden Point on Wednesday to address a stop-work meeting
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Press, 21 August 1982, Page 1
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360F.O.L. says no to U.K. workers Press, 21 August 1982, Page 1
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