Employers united over wages

Press, 12 October 1985, Page 9

Employers united over wages

Local employers were united in their opposition to excessive wage settlements, said the director of the Canterbury Employers’ Association, Mr C. D. Mclnnes, in Christchurch yesterday. Mr Mclnnes was referring to a meeting of chief executives in the region held yesterday morning at the Christchurch Town Hall. The meeting was called by the association to discuss trends in the wage round and seek endorsement of the association’s calls for “realistic levels of settlement appropriate to each industry in the interests of the employers and workers alike, and the community as a whole,” said Mr Mclnnes.

“Excessive settlements will jeopardise business viability and employment in the year ahead. “Settlements should have been reached at levels offered by employers during the first few weeks of the wage round,” he said. “The parties to negotiations must look to the future when assessing levels of settlement, taking into account the economic environment each industry will be operating in,” said Mr Mclnnes. “Work stoppages will not create a magical ability to meet excessive wage demands. They will simply cause hardship for both parties.” Mr Mclnnes said there was no purpose served in

striking when clear legal avenues were available, as it would simply cause hardship for both parties. Mr Mclnnes said the chief executives at the meeting fully endorsed the call by the association and the New Zealand Employers’ Federation for realistic levels of settlement, taking into account the economic outlook for the future. “Chief executives are well aware of the folly of excessive settlements,” he said. The Employers’ Federation director of advocacy, Mr Steve Marshall, also attended the meeting to brief the chief executives on developments from a national point of view.