Talks on wages Tow key’

Press, 10 March 1984, Page 1

Talks on wages Tow key’

PA Wellington Employers and Federation of Labour representatives met yesterday to discuss wage-fixing and prepared a report for next week’s talks with the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon. The low-key discussions focused on earlier proposals in the long-running discussions. Both parties said later that a report would not be prepared for next week’s plenary session. The employers’ representative, Mr Max Bradford, said they were reasonably

satisfied with progress made during the three-hour session although there was “still along way to go.” The Federation of Labour’s president, Mr W. J. Knox, had said the talks were on the verge of breaking down. Asked yesterday if he was more optimistic now, he said he was never optmistic about such talks, “and as far as I am concerned it is a matter now to take it to the plenary session and see how far we get there.” Mr Bradford told NZPA he was reasonably satisfied with yesterday’s talks. Asked about the effect

proposed rolling strikes by freezing workers could have on the talks, he said he believed such action would not help the parties at all. “We have met today and we will continue to meet. The need for wage reform is far too serious to be affected by any single dispute.” He said there was no sign of the talks breaking down yet “but next week’s meeting of the plenary is obivously an important one for all of us.”

Asked if the talks were making any progress, he said “Two steps forward, one step back.”