Kawerau union denies having strike fund

Press, 1 September 1986, Page 3

Kawerau union denies having strike fund

PA Rotorua Allegations that the Northern Federation of Pulp and Paper Workers is running an illegal strike fund to cover the Tasman mill closing have been denied by the federation’s assistant secretary, Mr Harold Appleton. The allegations were “mud-slinging,” he said. Justice Department records show, that the federation, an incorporated society, has not filed a statement of accounts since 1980, when it was shown to; have assets of $47,545. : Several people in Kawerau have told

Rotorua’s “Daily Post” newspaper that the union had $733,000 tied up in shares as at March, 1986. Mr Appleton yesterday refused to supply a copy of the union’s latest statement of accounts. He said a properly audited statement had been filed every year since 1980. A deputy registrar with the commercial section of the Justice Department in Auckland, Mr Peter Lomas, said that returns were not on file since 1980. The federation would be asked for details, he said. Mr Appleton agreed

that members’ weekly payments had increased from $2 to $7 in January. The increase was made because “finances were low” after two previous lock-outs or strikes. “We had not covered our costs from last year, there was my employment and there were lots of other reasons. But none of these constituted a strike fund of any sort” He confirmed that the Inland Revenue Department had asked in about April if the union had a strike fund. The secretary, Mr John Murphy, had advised that it did not said Mr Appleton.