Airline acts to avert new stoppage

Press, 19 February 1983, Page 1

Airline acts to avert new stoppage

PA Auckland Air New Zealand stewards and hostesses have removed a threat to stop work for three hours on Monday. The decision not to’ interrupt flights came after a day of talks between the union and the airline.

A spokesman said that the move was made in good faith and in the hope that it would persuade the union not to go ahead with a three-hour stopwork meeting on Monday.

He said that the airline could not agree to the stopwork meeting because of the disruption to flights it would cause.

The dispute arose over the dismissal of a former ground steward. Mr Dudley Smith, and the airline’s refusal to re-employ him after charges of theft against him were dismissed. It was the reason for a 24-hour strike on Wednesday. Air New Zealand had arranged yesterday for an application to prevent further industrial action to be heard in the Arbitration Court on Monday. The application, rushed through during Wednesday’s stoppage, would pose the threat of heavy financial penalties for union members if agreed to by the Court. It was laid under the Commerce Act which cites damage to the economy or a main industry as reason for placing the ban.

It was hoped both the union and airline would consult to work out another time for a stop-work meeting that would cause a minimum of disruption. The union decided late yesterday to hold a stop-work meeting, but not on Monday. Its industrial officer, Mr’T. C. Crossley, described the day’s moves as a considerable breakthrough.

The union would meet again this morning to work out when- the stop-work meeting could be held.

Meanwhile, the effects of the strike were still being felt by the airline yesterday. Three international flights were delayed. Last evening's flight from Perth via Melbourne. the 10 p.m. flight to Rarotonga, and the evening flight to Honolulu and Los Angeles were all running late.

The airline has' now decided not to go to the Arbitration Court.