Riggers ‘bring contractor to knees’

Press, 7 October 1987, Page 1

Riggers ‘bring contractor to knees’

By

PETER LUKE,

political reporter

A small Rangiora bridge contractor had been brought to his knees by illegal activities of the Register of Riggers, said the member of Parliament for Hobson, Mr Ross Meurant, yesterday. He said that the contractor was building a bridge over the Northern Wairoa River in his Northland electorate but bad been presented with a demand to employ three riggers from

the register. Mr Meurant said, in Parliament, that the register was run by “the notorious John Dorran and Ray Bianchi.” The register was a splinter group from the Labourers’ Union and had no lawful status, he said. “It is merely a group of men who have paid Dorran between SIH and several hundred dollars to join a cartel. Dorran then chooses an industrial site and demands his cartel be employed or he blacks the site.

“Dorran uses this industrial muscle to blackmail developers into paying him large sums of money to allow industrial peace on that site.” Mr Meurant said that Mr Dorran’s tactics included threats to kill as well as the threat of financial loss. He claimed that the levy paid by riggers was also pocketed by Mr Dorran. “This unlawful gangsterism also demands a public inquiry,” Mr Meurant said. The contractor had “tremend-

ous fortitude” and “is prepared to fight this tyranny” but needed the backing of the courts and his big suppliers. The “National Business Review” this said that the company building the bridge was Smith Construction, Ltd. It published details from a memorandum it attributed to the Northern Labourers’ Union, and said it was written as an instruction from the union’s assistant secretary, Mr Ray Bianchi. Mr Jobn Smith, of Rangiora,

confirmed last evening that his firm, John C. Smith Contractors, Ltd, was the company resisting the demand from the Register of Riggers. He said the matter had been referred to the Industrial Court and was expected to be heard this week. • “I would prefer not to make further comment as I do not wish to inflame the issue,” he said. Mr Smith said construction work on the bridge began a year ago and was due for completion in February, 1189.