Picket line moves to Chch dairy

Press, 12 January 1987, Page 3

Picket line moves to Chch dairy

Confrontations on the picket line led to striking Wool Testing Authority staff picketing a Riccarton dairy owned by an authority official, the Public Service Association claimed yesterday. About 15 picketers went to Reena’s Dairy in Peverel Street, which belongs to the authority’s production controller in Christchurch, Mr John Counseil, and his wife, Jill. . The strikers stayed only about 90 minutes on Saturday - morning, and had only a minor effect on business, Mr Counseil said. He believed the dairy was targeted because of his position. He is “in the front line,” the first contact In the management structure at the authority? But the Canterbury regional secretary of the P.S.A., Mr John McKenzie, said the picketers had gone to the dairy because of earlier incidents on the picket line involving Mr Counseil. “Mr Counseil had been video-taping and photographing the strikers. These actions were provoking the situation,” Mr McKenzie said. Strikers also picketed briefly at the dairy last month, soon after the dispute began. Mr Counseil said he was upset by that, but had a few joking words with the picketers on Saturday. "It’s not really a joke,” he said. “I feel sorry for them. They-seem to have lost sight of what they are going for. It is ludicrous that they have made it a personal thing between me and them.” He said the strikers had seemed subdued and had “left pretty shamefaced” after a short time. The strike is now dragging on into its sixth week, as the P.S.A. mem-

bers demand that the authority continue to recognise their State linkage on pay rates. Mr McKenzie was concerned that attitudes were hardening on both sides, making it more difficult to find a solution. He also acknowledged that tempers must be starting to get short among workers who have been bn the picket line for 37

days. February 16 and 17 have been set down for conciliation but Mr McKenzie holds out little hope of that settling, the

dispute. The authority is claiming that the workers should be covered by the Woollen .Workers’ Union, instead of the P.S.A., but the union has already said it does not wish to be involved. Mr McKenzie believes the case will be thrown out next month, and the employers will probably then seek to bring.it before the Arbitration Court, which may mean a wait of up to a year.