Crothalls accuse Labour Dept of procrastination

Press, 19 May 1984, Page 8

Crothalls accuse Labour Dept of procrastination

PA Wellington Crothall Property Services has accused the Labour Department of procrastination in handling a company complaint over the strike by Wellington cleaners.

The. company’s industrial relations manager, Mr Lloyd David, said yesterday that the company filed a complaint with the department earlier this month which alleged an attempt by the union to break the wage freeze. It asked the department to take the appropriate legal action. “The department’s Wellington office reacted promptly, but for some reason the complaint has become bogged down at the national office,” Mr David said.

The department is also considering complaints from three meat companies over an alleged failure of the Meat Workers’ Union to give three days notice of

strike action in writing. The Secretary of Labour, Mr Gavin Jackson, said last evening that the complaints were being investigated. “It may take some time before the department is able to make a decision,” Mr Jackson said. He said it was wrong for Mr David to allege procrastination. “While I can appreciate his frustrations, he must also appreciate the department’s duty to investigate thoroughly ’ and to act on proper evidence,” Mr Jackson said.

Talks aimed at resolving the Wellington Cleaners’ Union dispute could take place during the weekend.

The union put a proposal to Crothall Property Services yesterday, and company spokesmen said this would be considered.

However, the company still intends to proceed with its injunction application in the High Court on Monday morning.

There were indications yesterday that the dispute would focus on the northern industrial district next week.

About 20 Wellington buildings are affected by the Crothalls dispute. The secretary of the Food Processing Union, Mr Garth Fraser, said last evening that a series of rolling stoppages in the poultry industry would begin on Monday at Tegel’s Manurewa plant.

He said the action was being taken in support of a return to free wage bargaining.

At the Motunui synthetic fuel plant yesterday 450 members of the Engineers’ Union struck for 24 hours in support of the campaign.

A meeting of Labourers’ Union members involved in gas distribution from the Kapuni and Maui fields will be held on Monday to consider stopping work for 48 hours in opposition to the continuation of the wage freeze.