Flushers discuss board’s view

Press, 11 February 1983, Page 25

Flushers discuss board’s view

About 100 labourers and drivers employed by the Christchurch Drainage Board were yesterday given the board's version of an industrial dispute which the workers will discuss at a stop-work meeting this morning. The board's chief engineer. Mr H. P. Hunt, told the workers in a circular distributed to each of them byhand yesterday that he hoped they would give the matter careful consideration before agreeing to any further action. About 25 workers in the flusher section at the Hazeldean Road depot have been taking industrial action since Monday in support of a request for a variation in hours of work that has been declined by the board. The action has taken the form of a daily ban on work between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. and half-day stoppages on Monday and Tuesday, when the workers were supported

by about 25 staff of the Bromley treatment works. The flushers want to start work at 7.30 a.m. instead of 8 a.m. and finish at 4 p.m. instead of 4.30 p.m. One of the reasons the board had given for refusing to agree to an earlier start was the safety of flushers working during busy traffic. Part of their work involves flushing water down sewers, to gain access to which they have to open manholes on roadways. In the circular. Mr Hunt said that traffic became heavy between 7.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. and remained heavy between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. “I am not aware of any figures which show which of these two periods is worse because available traffic counts take only one-hour intervals. Comparison between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. and 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. is not valid because of the low density between 7 a.m. and 7.30 a.m.,” said Mr Hunt.

"Apart from this aspect, a start at 7.30 a.m. would place staff on the roads for a greater length of the peaktraffic period. Discussions with senior officers of the Ministry of Transport revealed that they would not favour flushers starting at 7.30 a.m. because of the high traffic volumes between 7.30 a.m. and 8 a.m. They were also concerned about an extra hazard to the public at this time." said Mr Hunt. The secretary of the Canterbury branch of the Labourers’ Union. Mr R. A. Lowe, was reported in "The Press” of Wednesday as saying that 90 per cent ol labourers and drivers employed by the board already began work at 7.30 a.m. Mr Hunt said in the circular that the Bromley treatment works staff were the only workers who finished at 4 p.m. . ‘‘Their work does not have a direct impact on the public," he said.

Mr Hunt said that petrol and repair facilities were not available until 8 a.m.. when the Tuam Street depot staff began work. He said that to best meet the public demand for a prompt and efficient service during normal working hours, flushers should finish work at 5 p.m. “However, the present compromise whereby they stop at 4.30 p.m. is considered reasonable. Once work has stopped there are delays in attending to complaints and problems.” he said.