P.S.A. threatens power cuts over union coverage

Press, 17 March 1987, Page 1

P.S.A. threatens power cuts over union coverage

By

PETER LUKE

in Wellington

Electricity production could be locked at 2 a.m. levels for 12-hour stretches at 25 power stations, unless the Government or the new Electricity Corporation modifies the stance over union coverage, the Public Service Association has warned.

The P.S.A. has given notice of new measures to try to prevent up to 1450 State electricity workers becoming exempt from union coverage.

Beginning on Friday, the electricity generation load at the New Plymouth power station will be frozen at 2 a.m. levels until 2 p.m. the same day. The P.S.A. has now revealed that this tactic will continue until March 29, when five other power stations will impose a 12hour freeze at 2 a.m. Over the next three days. 19 other power stations will adopt the 2 a.m. freeze. From April 1, 25 power stations will limit production for 12hour periods until the dispute has been settled.

Under the new corporation about 1450 of the

6000 employees of the present Electricity Division of the Ministry of Energy will be ineligible for union membership.

The president of the P.S.A., Mr Colin Hicks, said that his members' rights had never before been under such direct threat.

“The issue at stake is the right of our members to bargain collectively as union members.” The P.S.A. did not want to take industrial action, and was prepared to make concessions, he said.

Before earlier negotiations had broken down, the P.S.A. had agreed that 42 employees might be exempt from union membership. The status of another 500 employees had also been discussed, Mr

Hicks said. The Prime Minister, Mr Lange, seemed optimistic yesterday that bargaining would forestall the power cuts.

A long drawn-out fight was in no-one’s interests, and in spite of the threats, negotiation and mediation would continue, he said.

However, Mr Lange also said that the workers’ notice of industrial action was defective. Mr Hicks has maintained that valid notices have been given, and said it would be unwise of the Government to try to prevent the partial shutdowns by citing apparent defects in the notices. “I do not think that the electricity workers at New Plymouth will be concerned with the legal

niceties,” he said. The Hutt Valley Energy Board deputy general manager, Mr lan Frogley, said that if the action were allowed to reach a conclusion on April 1, the result would be “drastic,” the Press Association reported. To hold generation at 2 a.m. levels would bring about a virtual close-down of the country, and it was inconceivable that could be allowed to happen. “The country would grind to a halt,” he said. There would be barely enough power available to keep essential services going.

Reducing levels as proposed was totally irresponsible. Export dollars at risk, page 7.