Club workers will join in action

Press, 8 December 1987, Page 6

Club workers will join in action

By

RICHARD CRESSWELL

industrial reporter Workers covered by the New Zealand Chartered Clubs and Licensed Clubs Award will be joining hotel workers in industrial action in Christchurch. Award talks for the chartered clubs, which includes workingmen’s and "gentlemen’s” clubs, were adjourned last week. The Union advocate, Mr Phillip de Wattnar, said the employer’s final offer was 7 per cent on wages and allowances, subject to the union conceding award conditions including a responsibility allowance for "in charge” duties.

He said employers also sought changes to reduce

the rates of pay and basic terms of employment for hourly workers. The unions sought assurances on gaming machines in clubs. The Canterbury Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union spokesman, Mr Marty Braithwaite, said about 70 workers under the award had attended a meeting in the city yesterday. He said the workers had placed a ban on gaming machines at the clubs from midnight Wednesday. One week’s notice of industrial action was also served for rolling stoppages, and workers also planned action for Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.

There are about- 300 workers in Christchurch covered by the award, but the majority were hourly workers. . He said the employers offer was also conditional on a loading reduction for hourly workers. ' “We weren’t entertaining that, and talks adjourned at that point” Hotel workers delegates met on Sunday and resolved to continue rolling stoppages. Mr Braithwaite said the rolling stoppages were "definitely planned,” but could not say when.

Hotel workers were on strike last Thursday and Friday in Christchurch. The union is expecting to review the situation this morning. ,