Union warns of threats to burn forests

Press, 10 November 1986, Page 1

Union warns of threats to burn forests

PA Wellington Threats by forestry workers to set fire to State forests if they lose jobs under the Government’s State-owned corporations reshuffle were understandable, said the Public Service Association’s president, Mr Colin Hicks, yesterday. Mr Hicks said that while such talk was difficult to condone, the P.S.A. understood the depth of feeling and frustration of forestry workers, more than 1000 of whom will lose their jobs from April 1.

The Workers’ Union national councillor, Mr Cassidy Tangaere, in a submission to a joint Gov-ernment-union social impact investigation group, warned that many forestry workers in danger of losing their jobs would express their anger by setting alight many State forests, the “Sunday Times” newspaper reported yesterday.

Mr Hicks said he had heard of the warnings and believed they reflected the depth of feeling held by P.S.A., timberworkers, and Workers’ Union mem-bers-employed in the Forest Service. “We would not want to encourage that sort of planning within our union,

but when workers get extremely frustrated feelings do run high,” he said. Mr Hicks said public servants employed in provinces throughout New Zealand were particularly angry at lack of information about their prospects once State-owned enterprises were established next year.

He said that P.S.A. delegates throughout New Zealand had reported “quite violent reactions” from provincial members who remained in the dark about their future and conditions of employment.

“There is a demand from the provinces that we take some concerted action,” Mr Hicks said.

“There is also an indication of their willingness to strenuously fight these moves and to protect people’s jobs and futures.” Delegates would meet in Wellington on Thursday to discuss industrial action.

The Post Office Union has already announced it will recommend industrial action to members at a series of meetings in the next few weeks. Public servants in Palmerston North voted last Friday to stop work on Thursday and demonstrate outside Parliament about uncertainty over their future.