Technicians on go-slow

Press, 1 June 1985, Page 8

Technicians on go-slow

PA Auckland Post Office technicians began a go-slow at midnight last night in the department’s telephone, radio and telegraph" services. The action will eventually affect all of New Zealand. The technicians say they will refuse to install new stored program control (S.P.C.) telephone exchanges, PABX office exchanges and radio-tele-phones. Staff in the telegraph section will stage a go-slow. About 5000 technicians were unhappy over progress of their negotiations with the Post Office administration over pay and work

pressure, said the general secretary of the Post Office Union, Mr Ron Burgess, last evening. The technicians felt they should get more pay to cover the introduction of new technology and because so many of their staff were being “poached” by the private sector. Mr Burgess said the technicians were under increasing work pressure because of staff leaving, a big demand for telecommunications services, and the extra strain involved in learning skills to cope with new types of equipment. The technicians voted on May iJto ban installing new equipment but deferred the

action for a month while negotiations continued between the union and the Post Office. The decision to take action came after a meeting in Auckland of about 1000 technicians who were addressed by the Deputy Director-General of the Post Office, Mr Don Murphy. After the meeting Mr Murphy said Post Office telecommunications resources were being stretched to the limit by an unprecedented demand for service, coupled with an accelerating staff loss. The demand for PABX systems had increased tenfold in the last two’years.

The private sector, he said, was recognising that Post Office staff were well trained and competent and many technicians had already left

He said the Post Office could not compete with the flexibility of the private sector in the areas of salaries and fringe benefits. Private telephone subscribers in Christchurch would not immediately be affected by the action, although some businesses which had PABX installations planned could face delays, Mr Burgess said. He did not have details of the number of businesses which might be affected.