Fears held on wage round

Press, 4 July 1985, Page 14

Fears held on wage round

PA Auckland The Auckland Employers’ Association says that the Government’s “economic theory” could lead to increased confrontation in collective bargaining in the coming wage round. It says that, while the Government may be able to control the money supply, it could not hold a rein on industrial relations. The association’s acting president, Mr Max Bunker, said he was concerned that the Government, in announcing the concept of flexible wage bargaining, had done so without stipulating the necessary reform of the collective bargaining system.

Speaking after the association’s council meeting, he said, “We are concerned that in flexible wage bargaining there is to be only one rule and that is that there are no rules. “We do not see that collective bargaining by unions and employers can be placed within the economic strategy of the Government.” Mr Bunker said neither could the association see bargaining being controlled by monetary restraints. “The Government may be able to control the money supply but-it cannot control industrial relations through these measures,” he said.