No strike before talks, says union

Press, 13 March 1985, Page 9

No strike before talks, says union

Christchurch hotel workers will not strike again before conciliation talks on their award begin on Friday. The strike last Friday and Saturday had “made our point well and truly,” said the assistant secretary of the Canterbury Hotel Workers’ Union, Mr Martin Moodie, yesterday. Nothing further would be gained by union members' losing more money this week, he said.

The strike was part of a national campaign by hotel workers over their award claims. The unions want an across-the-board wage increase of $45 a week for a

nine-month term, better penal rates, and other improvements. The decision not to strike again before the talks would be reviewed if hotel managers “put pressure” on their staff. Mr Moodie said he had been assured that pressure put on staff after the last strike had stopped. “We will look at both taking action again and whether we would even sit doWn for the talks. We will not go into conciliation under any form of duress,” he said. Union members were showing good will by staying at work this week, said Mr Moodie.

A “wait and see” attitude had been adopted by the union over people who worked in hotels during the strike.

Very few union members broke the strike, said Mr Moodie. The union’s argument lay mainly with hotel managers who brought in non-union labour. “We will wait and see what happens at the talks. We don’t want to aggravate the situation just now,” he said.

A 3%-day strike by hotel staff in Queenstown had “spread pressure across the board” and would have a dramatic effect on employers’ attitudes, Mr Moodie said.