Chch cement supplies fall

Press, 8 February 1985, Page 3

Chch cement supplies fall

Supplies of cement are rapidly diminishing in Christchurch because of an industrial stoppage at the Cape Foulwind cement works of New Zealand Cement Holdings, Ltd, at Westport. The cement works stopped production on January 28 after conciliation talks for a new award for the Cape Foulwind workers failed to reach a settlement. The workers are represented by the Labourers’ Union.

Members of the Engineers’ Union at the works also went on strike on January 29 after their wage talks were adjourned unsettled.

The Westport works is the main source of cement for Christchurch of both bagged and bulk cement.

Ready-mix cement companies in Christchurch have been unable to plan ahead because of the supply uncertainty and by today few are expected to. have any cement. This means that about 130 workers, including drivers, could be idle, and builders will have to find other work to keep their carpenters busy. Commercial builders are expected to be particularly affected because of the extensive use of cement in commercial building construction. The shortage of cement

comes on top of an existing shortage of medium-density fibreboard because of the stoppage at Canterbury Timber Products at Sefton. The managing director of New Zealand Cement Holdings, Mr D. M. Wilson, is in Australia, and no-one else from the company could comment yesterday. Mr Wilson is expected to make a statement today. The Labourers’ Union advocate, Mr Stephen O’Reilly, could not be reached yesterday. The strike at Cape Foulwind is the first at the works for 27 years. It is believed that both the Labourers’ and Engineers’ Unions are seeking wage parity with both the Portland cement works, owned by Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, Ltd, at Whangarei and the Tarakohe works of Golden Bay Cement Company, Ltd, at Golden Bay.

The Portland workers have enjoyed a margin ahead of the workers at the other two cement works but because of the wage freeze the wage round this time is the first chance that the Cape Foulwind workers have had to try to achieve parity. It is believed that the company has offered a wage rise in line with

the general rise of 6.5 to 7 per cent of the wage round. New Zealand Cement Holdings is a result of the 1963 merger between the Milburn Lime and Cement Company, Ltd, and New Zealand Cement Company, Ltd. Its biggest shareholder is Holderbank New Zealand, Ltd, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Holderbank Australia, Ltd.

New Zealand Cement Holdings has a cement works at Burnside in Dunedin, which is still producing, but does not supply Christchurch with cement, apart from a rapid-harden-ing variety with specialised uses.