Non-unionists may be able to negotiate

Press, 26 May 1984, Page 9

Non-unionists may be able to negotiate

PA Wellington The law as it stands now might have the basis for non-unionists negotiating their own awards, said the Minister of Labour. Mr Bolger yesterday. Asked' what mechanisms could be used to allow the negotiations. Mr Bolger told reporters that the “voluntary collective agreement approach operative under the Industrial Relations Act” could be explored further. Section 65 of the 1973 act

enables parties to negotiate a collective agreement for the voluntary settlement of a dispute. Departmental officers pointed out. however, that the section made provision for disputes between employers and unions or associations. "You have still got to belong to a union to do it." one official said. Mr Bolger was commenting in response to the Leader of the Opposition. Mr Lange, who said on Thursday that the idea aired

by Mr Bolger of non-union-ists negotiating their own awards was "simply nuts.” Employers were appalled at the idea of having socalled award negotiations with as many people as wanted to putting their pitch in." Mr Lange said. Mr Bolger said he thought that "the strain on Mr Lange of always having to think what the unions want him to say is starting to show. He is becoming quite irrational on the question of representation for non-union members. "It is entirely possible to develop a scheme if we believed that was the correct approach." It would not require too much effort to develop appropriate mechanisms. Mr Bolger said. However, he said on Wednesday that he was not convinced it was the right way to go at the moment He said yesterday that it was really a question of whether the trade unions and the Labour Party believed the issue of non-union members being covered by awards negotiated by trade unions was important. If it was not important "I suggest they give up their campaign." he said, referring to comments that nonunionists were free-loaders if they accepted award conditions gained by unionists.