Secret ballot confirms ban on reporter

Press, 9 March 1984, Page 1

Secret ballot confirms ban on reporter

Journalists employed by the Christchurch Press Company voted last evening to continue their black ban on copy prepared by the Timaru reporter of “The Press,” Mr D. W. Hodge. The vote, by secret ballot, was carried by ; 78 to 33, with one vote informal.

The journalists imposed the ban on February 21 after holding a ’meeting to consider what action to take over Mr Hodge’s: resignation from the Journalists’ Union under the provisions of the new voluntary unionism legislation.

The special stop-work meeting in Christchurch last evening was attended by 112 “The Press” journalists in Christchurch and from Nelson, Greymouth, Ashburton, Rangiora, and Wellington. The meeting was called by the union in response to an application by the Press Company to the Arbitration Court for an order to hold a secret ballot on the issue of a return to full work, which would require the handling of Mr Hodge’s reports. The president of the union, Mr Tony O’Brien, said after the meeting that the vote reconfirmed the original decision of “The Press” journalists. He said that the vote at the previous meeting was by voice and had been “substantial” in favour of the ban.

Ctaly six journalists employed by “The Press” were not at last evening’s meeting, which lasted an hour. Mr O’Brien said that the union would seek further negotiations with the company on the membership, issue.

The company’s editorial manager, Mr D. D. Borman, said that the company had not yet decided whether it would withdraw its application to the Arbitration

Court. He declined to comment on the outcome of last evening’s ballot. He did not know what the company and union could discuss, because nothing had been altered by the ballot.

“The union has been told it will always be kept in the picture as to what is being done by the company,” Mr Borman said.

Asked why the company had not used the remedies available to it under the new industrial law, Mr Borman said that it had used part of the new law in applying to the Arbitration Court for a secret ballot. It had been reluctant to use other parts of the law because it enjoyed good industrial relations with staff and wished to keep them that way. Mr Hodge is continuing to gather news in Timaru but his work has been held by the management of “The Press,” who have not so far asked union members to handle it. Printers at “The Press” have voted to support the ban by journalists. Mr Hodge said last evening that he would not rejoin the Journalists’ Union “under any circumstances.” ‘“The Press’ journalists, conforming to union policy and echoing the animosity of union officials, have had the effrontery to continue the ban on my copy. The ban is unlawful, despicable, and' immoral,” He said he would not be coerced, nor would he bargain or accept any illegal compromise solution to the

dispute. ‘The Press” itself was >to be commended for the restraint it had shown and for its fair and unbiased presentation of the implications of the ban as it affected all parties, Mr Hodge said. Other disputes, page 5.