Clyde dam unions, contractor meet

Press, 17 December 1982, Page 4

Clyde dam unions, contractor meet

PA Dunedin The private contractor building the Clyde dam. Ed Zublin-Williamson Construction Company, and the trade unions who will work on the site met for the first time in Dunedin yesterday.

Although union sources said the meeting was worth while, no further progress can be made until the Government grants an exemption to the wages freeze to enable negotiations to be on a composite agreement. The unions seek a core rate and ■ conditions 15 per cent above the core rate paid at the Motunui synthetic petrol project in Taranaki. Both the company and the unions yesterday 7 ’ accepted that if the exemption was< granted, serious talks on the terms of the agreement would take place later next month. But if it was not granted, no work could take place on the site.

No official comment was available after the meeting? The company, which was represented by directors and staff of the Williamson side only, is refusing to comment on any aspect of the project because of a contractual arrangement with the Ministry of Works and Development, and the combined unions did not issue a statement.

Unions at the meeting included drivers, labourers, carpenters,' engineers, electrical workers, cleaners, clerical workers, and boilermakers.