Chch rubbish row
By
DIANA HALES
Further disruption to the collection and dumping of rubbish is expected today at Christchurch’s three refuse stations. Conciliation talks between the Labourers’ Union representing the station workers and the Christchurch Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee collapsed yesterday. The wage negotiations broke down and from 3 p.m. refuse station staff refused to collect dumping fees. Similar action last Saturday resulted in the suspension of 15 workers and the closing of the stations in Ruru Road, Parkhouse Road, and Styx Mill Road. The stations reopened on Tuesday afternoon.
The Christchurch City Council will attempt to collect rubbish today. But neither the Waimairi District Council nor the Riccarton Borough Council will have collections today and the Paparua County Council said it was unlikely that it would. The chairman of the Refuse Disposal Committee, Cr Ron Wright, said last evening that the committee was disappointed at the failure of the talks. 7 ’
“I believe the union is being irresponsible in using the workers as pawns in a game they are playing ... I think the public have stood enough of this childish play,” he said. “We have tried to bend over backwards to reach an agreement and the failure to do so will be detrimental to them,” he said. The committee offered the workers wage increases of between 8.2 per cent and 12.6 per cent, including shift work and allowances. The union -accepted a wage increase of 10.3 per cent for charge hands but could not settle on a figure for refuse plant workers, including kiosk operators and drivers, or the three station supervisors. The Canterbury secretary of the Labourer’s Union, Mr Dick Lowe, said the union wanted an increase of 8.6 per cent and a daily industry allowance of $6.50 for the plant workers. The union originally had asked that the supervisors receive parity with other council employees who had similar overseeing responsibilities.
This would have meant an increase of 40 per cent but the union amended its claim to an increase of 18 per cent, he said. ?
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Press, 25 February 1988, Page 7
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339Chch rubbish row Press, 25 February 1988, Page 7
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