Court ruling linked to strike

Press, 2 August 1985, Page 3

Court ruling linked to strike

PA Auckland The recent High Court decision on the Irvines Bakery dispute was cited by a union official as the reason for a group of cafeteria workers striking on the Auckland waterfront yesterday. Cafeteria workers employed on the Auckland waterfront began an indefinite strike after their employer called off negotiations on a house agreement. The seretary of the Northern Hotel Workers’ Union, Mr Rik Barker, claimed the talks were scuttled because of the ruling by Mr Justice Sinclair. He said the company, Nationwide Food Service, Ltd, said the decision meant

that negotiations would be going outside the terms and conditions of the workers’ national award. His Honour ruled that the strike by Irvines bakers for above-award wages was unlawful. He said any conerted action over demands for rises in minimum award rates was in breach of the law. Mr Barker said that staff at canteens on the Bledisloe and Fergusson wharves had lodged claims with Nationwide for increases in their award rate of $4.87 an hour. “But Nationwide wrote to the union on July 17 saying it agreed to meet us and start negotiations on a site agreement,” he said. “The workers have decided by secret ballot to

stay out until the employer agrees to negotiate.” Mr Barker said he believed the Auckland Employers’ Association had orchestrated the situation leading up to the Court decision. The general manager of Nationwide, Mr Keith Frampton, said he did not wish to comment on Mr Barker’s remarks. “In the present circum-

stances there is a confused situation and I would be extremely cautious about doing anything which would seem to inflame it. “There needs to be some resolution as to the status of those claims.” The director of the Employers’ Association, Mr Doug Stewart, said Mr Barker’s remarks in relation to his organisation were incorrect.