Establishment bargaining call by Mr Birch

Press, 31 May 1986, Page 32

Establishment bargaining call by Mr Birch

PA Wellington The Opposition’s spokesman on Labour, Mr Bill Birch, has called for a system of establishment bargaining to cover workers on individual worksites. In an address to the Wellington Regional Employers Association, Mr Birch said establishment bargaining would help establish a common goal within individual work places. Under the proposed system one agreement would cover all the workers on a particular worksite, he said.

“Establishment bargaining is a natural evolution of house agreements

which are usually secondtier arrangements settled on top of the national award,” Mr Birch said.

National awards were settled without due regard to the profitability or circumstances of individual companies.

There was little doubt many firms would shed labour this year because of the high level of settlements reached during the 1986-87 wage round.

“The role of an employer in moving towards establishment bargaining is critical,” Mr Birch said.

There had to be an environment in which trust was established between employers and employees. “There must be a will-

ingness on behalf of both parties to enter into voluntary agreements which will endure without breach for the contractual period.”

He said the direct benefits of this type of relationship would be improved productivity which in turn should be shared between the employer and the employee. Many unionists were extremely concerned that their views and needs were largely, being ignored by a centralised trade union movement.

“A classic example' of this would appear to be the disquiet of Southland meat workers at the continued strike action of their national union.”