Fists fly at picket line

Press, 17 May 1984, Page 1

Fists fly at picket line

PA Wellington Fists flew at BP House in Wellington yesterday morning when non-union staff of the Crothalls cleaning company crossed a cleaners’ union picket line. The police confirmed that an assault complaint had been laid by one picketer after the incident in the pay dispute between the company and the cleaners' union. The confrontation started when a station-waggon containing six non-union staff

members, including the industrial relations manager, of Crothalls, Mr Lloyd David, was stopped by the picketers at the vehicle entrance to the building. After a short discussion with police at the scene, the workers drove the car, loaded with cleaning equipment, to another entrance to the building. They were closely followed by the picketers. The non-unionists waited for several minutes by their car, then walked to the line

of picketers, who attempted to close ranks to prevent their access to the building. Shoves and pushes were followed by kneeing and punching between the two groups before the police intervened, to allow the non-union workers through. Men, including Mr Rob Campbell, an executive member of the Federation of Labour, exchanged blows. After the scuffle, Mr Campbell told a reporter he had thrown the punches because he had seen one of his

fellow picketers attacked in the same way by a nonunionist.

Mr Frank Johnson, a picket line member, later laid a complaint of assault at Wellington Central Police Station. N.Z. Forest Products’ Kinleith complex was brought to a stop by a combined union strike yesterday. It will stay shut for at least 48 hours. About 130 drivers from Levin, Foxton and Otaki also stopped work yesterday