Talks today on coal dust dispute

Press, 2 August 1985, Page 2

Talks today on coal dust dispute

The coal dust dispute which resulted in a threeday strike by Railways van guards in Christchurch last month could be settled today. The guards will attend a stop-work meeting this morning and will hear an offer by the Railways Corporation which could resolve the dispute. If they accept the offer, it will avert a union threat that from today coal waggons would not be carted between the West Coast and Lyttelton. Mr Paul Corliss, secretary of the Canterbury branch of the National Union of Railwaymen, said yesterday that he hoped that the offer would be accepted. He declined to elaborate on it before the meeting. The dispute centres on complaints by the guards that fine dust from some

coal waggons penetrates the guard’s van, at the end of the train. More than 40 guards are involved. The union asked the corporation to cover the waggons carrying fine coal from the West Coast or pay an allowance. An agreement was not reached and last month the guards went on strike for three days, causing the cancellation of about 25 freight trains from Christchurch. Fourteen days notice was also given of the plan not to cart any more coal waggons from today. Since then, however, Mr Corliss said that the union had received a “positive response” from Railways management. The Railways district manager in Christchurch, Mr Bob Taylor, said also that he hoped for a settlement today.