F.0.L.. manufacturers to consider regular talks

Press, 8 November 1984, Page 9

F.0.L.. manufacturers to consider regular talks

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington

A proposal that the Federation of Labour and the Manufacturers’ Federation hold regular meetings to discuss issues such as wages and employment will be considered by both organisations in the next week.

A separate proposal is also being considered by Federated Farmers and the F.0.L., but both proposals have developed as a direct result of the Economic Summit Conference, according to manufacturing and union leaders.

They were referred to yesterday at the annual convention of the Manufacturers’ Federation, when the president of the Federation of Labour, Mr Jim Knox, announced that the F.O.L. national council would discuss the proposal at its meeting on Wednesday. Telling manufacturers he would put the proposal, from the president of the Manufacturers’ Federation, Mr Earl Richardson, to the

F.O.L.’s national council, Mr Knox said, “Let’s work together.”

He conceded that a similar proposal had failed under his predecessor, Sir Thomas Skinner, and warned that if either-manu-facturers or trade unions were concerned about losing their power, the proposal would not work. Mr Knox’s presence at the convention was remarked on by manufacturers present as possibly unprecedented for a president of the F.O.L. His remarks clearly found favour with Mr Richardson, who told “The Press” later that the manufacturers’ council would discuss the proposal immediately after the convention. “I will ask them for their approval,” Mr Richardson said. He said the proposal had come out of the Economic Summit Conference, “where we found we could talk together.” Mr Knox told “The Press”

that if. the proposal were approved, the groups would have to decide how often meetings should be held — whether they were, say, every three months, or when considered necessary. It would give unions and manufacturers an opportun-

ity to discuss matters of common interest, such as wages and employment, before they approached the Government. A similar proposal was being considered by Federated Farmers, Mr Knox said.