Union concern on wage talks

Press, 25 February 1983, Page 1

Union concern on wage talks

PA Wellington Disappointment at the lack of urgency and direction shown by the Government at Wednesday's wage policy talks was expressed yesterday by two participants. In a joint statement. Mr W. J. Knox, president of the F.0.L., and Mr Ron Burgess, chairman of the Combined State Unions, said, “We cannot accept the offhand rejection of the need for an urgent interim $2O a week cost-of-living order. It is essential on the grounds of slowing up the current economic contraction, of defending living standards, and of restoring a degree of economic justice. “W'e will continue to press the claim," they said. “It is a matter of a deep concern that even after eight months of the (wage) freeze, the Government has not come up with any proposals for after the freeze and. has not defined the sort of system it would find acceptable."

The two union leaders said they would continue to work for a constructive solution through the committees set up by Wednesday’s talks with the Government and employers but said the committees would have “a very difficult job to do if they have to frame acceptable solutions without any knowledge of what would be acceptable to the Government.”