Resignation call ignored by railway union secretary

Press, 8 March 1988, Page 3

Resignation call ignored by railway union secretary

GLENIS CARROLL

and RODGER KINGSBURY

Allegations of a split in the National Union of Railwaymen have been denied by the national secretary, Mr Dori Goodfellow. i |

Mr Goodfellow yesterday declined to place any weight on a vote of noconfidence in the national council and a call for him to resign, made by the, Blenheim branch of the union. “I have no intention of ( resigning because 70 people meet in Picton," he said. /!• The vote of no-confid- ! ence and resolution for ( his resignation! received | unanimous support at the I branch meeting in Picton yesterday, a reaction to the resignation of the national president, Mr Garry Keating. Mr Keating's resignation, in pro- j test against the actions of his union executive, took

effect from 4 p.m. yesterday. The branch chairman, . Mr Laurie! Collins, said after , the ' meeting that members ! expected national councillors, in Wellington to look very seriously at their position. “We hold the national office I directly responsible for (that. !We are concerned that it is the bickering (and the restrictions put join Mr Keating ’ that have (caused him to resign.! i' ! i ! ■i J “We feel the union has gone (off the rails somewhat. |The time has come either to get out of it altogether or straighten it up," Mr Collins said. J I ■ ■■ i .

Mr Keating had the support ofl the Blenheim branch arid of most of New Zealrind. '( "I am sure( that when' the other branches are aware of the situation they will get! in behind us,” he ,sa|d. ! “I believe it will come across loub and clear to the people in! Wellington that their (tactics are not tolerated rind that they have put us in the position of having to do something about it,” he said.

The meeting said that the 7 per'[cent wage increase accepted by the union was j insufficient, and that negotiation by the union at the time would ji have resulted

in a more acceptable figure.

“We are operating under an award document that, as far as we are 'concerned, was made behind closed doors. We were riot asked for any input and we don’t see it as a correct way of doing things,” Mr Collins said. ! | ( The I union had been asked to do a number of simple things on behalf of the b'rahch but the requests 1 1 had become bogged! J down. The only correspondence received from Ithje national office was complaints. Mr (Gbodfellow said Mr Keating’s resignation had come! as .a surprise and

was very disappointing.

"I had no idea until today (Monday) that he was upset,” he said. Through his solicitor, Mr Keating had denied the executive's allegations that he had released (information to the news media without' authority. Mr Goodfellow would not comment on whether Mr Keating had been censured by the executive .for making public statements.

The union’s executive is believed to have censured Mr Keating while he was on sick leave, at a meeting on February 24. !

Mr Goodfellow said -the matter would not be discussed until the national council met on Friday.