Union retains ban on L.P.G. building

Press, 9 December 1983, Page 5

Union retains ban on L.P.G. building

The Labourers’ Union has not lifted its ban on the pumphouse at the liquefied Cetroleum gas facilities at yttelton, but has indicated it is prepared to talk with the contractor, M. L. Paynter, Ltd. By not’lifting the ban by noon yesterday the union defied an ultimatum sent by the contractor’s advocate, Mr P. J. Loof, of the Auckland Employers’ Association.

The southern branch secretary of the union, Mr W. B. Brown, said that he waited for “ominous threats” but nothing happened. Mr Loof got in touch with him yesterday afternoon and, although he gave no indication of what action

the contractor would take, Mr Loof had said that he would report back to Liquigas, Ltd, and possibly the Government.

He was still in Wellington last evening and could not be reached. The deadlock has arisen over union claims for the same money and conditions as workers enjoy on similar projects in the North Island. Work on the Lyttelton L.P.G terminal stopped on Friday.

Mr Brown believed the situation needed to be reexamined and indicated to Mr Loof that the union was prepared to talk with the contractor. “But it seems the situation is just the same as it was two weeks ago — basically they are not interested

in talking to us and we are not prepared to accept their position. "We will just wait for any eventuality." he said. While the ban on the pumphouse remained in force, work began on the L.P.G. pipeline. The ban against its contractor, McConnell Dowell, was lifted at midnight on Wednesday after an agreement had been reached and representatives of the labourers'. carpenters', drivers', boilermakers’, and engineers' unions met the company yesterday to discuss preliminary matters in the hope that this would facilitate a speedy settlement when a wage-price freeze exemption was granted.