No benefit when lockout ends

Press, 15 January 1986, Page 1

No benefit when lockout ends

Christchurch rubber workers will be ineligible for the unemployment benefit when the lockout imposed on them is lifted tomorrow.

The Social Security Commission ruled last week that rubber workers were entitled to the benefit because work had not been available for them, since the lockout on December 10. The Social Welfare Department’s assistant director (benefits and pensions), Mr Cliff Money, said yesterday that workers would be deemed to be back on strike on Thursday. “In that case we do not pay benefits to striking workers,” he said. Applications received during the last two days

would still be processed but none would be approved or payments made after the lockout was lifted.

“We could be doing a lot of work for nothing,” he said.

Department staff had been inundated with applications and up to 600 rubber workers were expected to have applied for the benefit by the deadline at 4.30 p.m. today. Confirmation to cancel the benefit would probably have to come from the department’s head office in Wellington, said Mr Money. Some workers might receive backdated benefits. This depended on the length of the stand-down period, yearly income, and the number of children the

workers had, he said. The stand-down period could be as short as one week or up to six weeks. “Some may get it and others won’t,” said Mr Money. The secretary of the Canterbury Rubber Workers’ Union, Mr Roger Brott, said he was unmoved by the change in status of workers. They would be encouraged to continue to apply for the benefit today.

Rubber workers went on strike on November 21 after the breakdown of their award talks over a pay relativity and bonus payment issue. Talks aimed at solving the dispute between union and employer representatives will be held in Christchurch tomorrow.