Drivers’ Union to flag trucks at Rakaia bridge

Press, 14 October 1985, Page 1

Drivers’ Union to flag trucks at Rakaia bridge

Truck-drivers crossing the Rakaia River into central Canterbury might be flagged down by picketers from today.

It was thought that picket lines would go up on State highways from midnight, said the secretary of the Canterbury Westland Drivers’ Union, Mr Don Cunninghame, last evening. No trucks would be welcome between the Rakaia and the Conway rivers unless they had special dispensation or were driven by employees of companies which had signed an interim agreement with the union, he said. Drivers carrying perishable goods have been exempted from the strike. Members of the union have been on strike since Wednesday to protest against employers’ refusals to raise their wage offer above that which was offered when national talks were adjourned on Tuesday. Employers had offered a 13.2 per cent package. The union seeks a package of about 20 per cent. It was decided at a meeting on Saturday, attended by about 150 drivers, to continue the strike until Wednesday. Mid-Canterbury drivers voted last evening to return to work. The chairman of the MidCanterbury action commit-

tee, Mr John Johnston, said that the meeting at Ashburton voted strongly in favour of a return to normal work at midnight last night. Drivers in South-Canter-bury will also go back to work today after a meeting of the action committee in Timaru last evening. A spokesman for the committee, Mr T. T. Mokomoko, said that there would be no restrictions imposed. “We have made the point that we are prepared to take industrial action if needed,” he said. “We will go back to work and build up resources in case of further action being required.” While there was a return to work South Canterbury drivers would support their Christchurch colleagues “in other ways,” said Mr Mokomoko. The importance of continuing services for farmers in the region had been a consideration, he said. Mr Cunninghame said he assumed picketers would flag drivers down and if the driver was a member of the union, he would be asked to turn back. There could be a picket near the Rakaia River and others at delivery posts.

A statement by a representative of the Nelson Road Transport Association that suspensions could result if drivers took industrial action was read to the meeting. The comments had aggravated attitudes, said Mr Cunninghame. Employers’ threats had been stupid. Saturday’s meeting could have been the “turning point,” but instead the drivers “dug in.” A mass meeting of all drivers covered by the general award is planned on Wednesday at 10 a.m. This coincides with an Arbitration Court hearing in Auckland at 9 a.m. about the award talks. At least seven Christchurch companies and a national transport firm have signed an interim agreement to pay the wage increase sought by the union. It was thought that more companies were “in the process” of signing, Mr Cunninghame said. Drivers employed by companies which had signed the agreement would receive extra money until a national award was settled, when they would come in to line.

One employer who signed the interim agreement but did not wish to be named said he did not agree with having his trucks off the road for the difference between what the employers were offering and what the union was asking. The increase in wages brought the drivers “into line” and was a fair figure, he said. The chairman of the Christchurch Driving Industry Co-ordinating Committee, Mr Ken Gwatkin, said the decision to continue the strike was disappointing but it did not alter the employers’ stance. He could only speak for road transport representatives but suspensions were an option that employers would be forced to consider. The suspensions would affect other workers who relied on the work of drivers. The chairman of the Can-terbury-Westland Contractors’ Federation, Mr Bryan Murray, said he was disappointed that action was continuing. The union hierarchy was the stumbling block, he said. “My inquiries have shown that most employees do not want to strike.”