Govt pay action ‘out’

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 1

Govt pay action ‘out’

By

PATRICIA HERBERT

in Wellington The Minister of Finance, Mr Douglas, yesterday ruled out intervention against the strengthening New Zealand dollar and the wage round. At a press conference, fresh from his trip overseas, Mr Douglas said that the pay settlements achieved so far were too high but that the Government was not looking at intervening. “What we have said all along is that we have established a monetary and fiscal climate and that it is up to the parties to make their own decisions,” he said.

If they chose to disregard the constraints they were under, unemployment and business failure would result, Mr Douglas said.

Basic increases in the documents settled so far range from about 125 per cent to 15.5 per cent but the actual movements are in most cases significantly higher. The total package negotiated for dairy workers will give most an 18 per cent rise, and a few an increase of more than 30 per cent. Laundry workers and drycleaners in the northern district have received an increase of 14 per cent in wage rates but their awards have been restructured giving rises of between 15.7 and 16.7 per cent.

Electricians, who were told they had tested the limit of the Government’s tolerance with their increase of 15.5 per cent, have yet to settle a variety of special payments and allowTo page 4