Library staff impose ban

Press, 10 May 1985, Page 25

Library staff impose ban

Wellington reporter Staff of the National Film Library in Wellington have put a ban on supplies to private and integrated schools, Government departments, universities, and technical colleges. This means that all these institutions will be without film or video materials from May 6. The president of the Public Service Association, Mr' Colin Hicks, said the ban had been imposed as a result of frustration with the poor level of salaries and because staff felt disillusioned with arbitration. In 1981, the State Services Commission had persuaded library staff to abandon

direct action on the grounds that there were mechanisms within the law to enable them to gain justice regarding their salaries. Four years later, the bulk of film library staff were still waiting for progress, he said. The Education Department chose well qualified recruits, often with teaching experience, and employed them to select and book schools’ audio-visual material while paid salaries substantially below the average wage. Some would be better off on the dole, Mr Hicks said. The whole situation reflected neglect by the department and inefficiency by the commission.