Talks threatened: firm

Press, 2 December 1987, Page 8

Talks threatened: firm

By

RICHARD CRESSWELL,

industrial reporter

The strike by the Stationary Engine Drivers’ Union could jeopardise tradesmen’s talks on the meat industry next week, said a meat company spokesman, Mr Bryan Ward, last evening. Action by four members of the union, who are boiler attendants, had paralysed the Stevens N.C.F. Kaiapoi freezing works, bringing the suspension of 350 meat workers. Mr Ward said that the other Stevens plant, at Sockbum, would be shut by the end of the week, forcing another 350 employees out of work.

The union has given notice of action at the Kaiapoi plant until Tuesday. The Sockbum works

will be shut from midnight tomorrow until Tuesday if the action continues.

Mr Ward said that the workers under the Stationary Engine Drivers’ Union were covered by the national award, but the breakdown had collapsed over wages. The South Island advocate for the Stationary Engine Drivers’ Union, Mr Norman Dewes, said that the company had not been cited as being out of the award and was still

party to it, but agreed wages were paid under a separate unregistered document.

He said that the action was over the breakdown of the national award and there were still claims

“on the table.”

The Stationary Engine Drivers' Union has members at every meat plant in the South Island. Mr Dewes said that he had heard nothing about a cancellation of industry talks.

The southern branch secretary of the New Zealand Labourers’ Union, Mr Barry Brown, said that those working under the building labourers, contractors and general workers’ awards would meet today to review their situation. No dates had been set for talks, but the union had ceased the site-by-site stoppages. The Building Labourers’ Union will go into conciliation in Wellington on. Friday. The union is delaying action by the city’s

carpenters until the outcome of those talks is known. Butchers and retail nonfood workers will also meet today, to hear and discuss their awards, and likely action.

Another award under the net of shop employees, has settled at a pay rise of 7.5 per cent.

The Southern Distribution Workers’ secretary, Mr Paul Piesse, said that grocery and supermarket workers had settled, but at a barely acceptable level.

He said greater flexibility in work hours was threatening the industry. The union was chasing an 11.5 per cent pay rise for retail butchers, and a 10 per cent rise for non-food workers, although that was still negotiable.