Refinery jobs offered to British riggers

Press, 8 January 1983, Page 6

Refinery jobs offered to British riggers

PA Wellington Job offers to British riggers have been made by the Marsden Point refinery expansion contractor, JV2. The first contingent might reach New Zealand at the end of the month.

JV2 was given freedom by the Arbitration Court to bring 90 riggers from overseas for the refinery project in the first six months of this year. Soon after the Court's ruling on December 21, the job" offers went out from JV2 to men it had already interviewed and identified as prospective Marsden Point workers.

The men’s ■ departure date from Britain is uncertain because of a delay in immigration documentation caused by the Christmas and New Year holiday closing of New Zealand House in London. The formalities are unable to begin until next week. JV2’s industrial relations general manager, Mr Ron Richards, said yesterday that the men would reach New Zealand by the end of this month or early in February. The first contingent, number as yet uncertain, would all be single. Married men and their families would come later.

Before they can start work, the Britons will be required to join the Labourers' Union, which strongly opposes any overseas tradesmen coming to Marsden Point until all its members wanting a job there have been given work. JV2- has rejected some riggers, because of their industrial records, and said before the Arbitration Court that there were others likely to be similarly rejected. According to union sources, the union could refuse to register the Britons for as long as. some of its members were blocked from the site.