Local bodies want refuse collection named an 'essential service’

Press, 8 March 1988, Page 4

Local bodies want refuse collection named an 'essential service’

Local bodies in the upper South Island want refuse collection and disposal to become an “essential service” so that workers would have to give one month’s notice of intention to strike.

A remit from Waimairi District Council won support at yesterday’s meeting of zone five of the Local Government Association. Waimairi is one . of' the authorities north of the Waitaki River which make up the zone. There are six zones throughout New Zealand. Representatives of councils from zone five met lin Christchurch yesterday to elect representatives : to the national executive.: The Waimairi District clerk, ’Mrj Peter; Chapple, saidi’that council had composed its remit on refuse collection' and disposal before the recent industrial action taken by workers at Christchurch’s three metropolitan refuse stations. I

“It was drawn up about

a week before the latest lot of action, but it had been bandied about earlier for sometime. It is something that has been mentioned a lot in the past.”

“Essential services” are set in the Labour Relations Act, and include such things as the production and distribution of gas, petroleum and electricity, water supply, and sew’age disposal. There are 15 categories, but refuse disposal is not included.

The council thinks the remit is necessary because refuse collection and disposal is essential for modern living in large communities. Households continue to produce refuse daily regardless of industrial situations, and once it was

collected it was potentially hazardous material from a health viewpoint, the council said in its remit

Six remits were discussed at the meeting. One, from Golden Bay ; County Council, to waive i the rural delivery fee of $3O, was lost.-

Also lost was Waimea County Council’s bid to have Waitangi Day renamed New Zealand Day, and Timaru City Council’s remit about the establishment of local authorities trading companies to cover trading activities. Golden Bay County’s remit to have national parks and reserves that are used for commercial purposes made eligible for rates was supported, as was a call to the Government to reinstate

work schemes, such as P.E.P. but with no discrimination in favour of any particular section of the community. The original remit, from Waimairi District Council, opposed any move to reintroduce the P.E.P. or any work schemes that were aimed at giving employment to certain sections of the community, such as gangs.

- Mrs Margaret Murray, the Waimairi District chairman, was elected chairman of zone five and Mr Peter Malone, the Mayor of Nelson, was elected deputy chairman. Mr Trevor Inch, | the Mayor of Rangiora,; and Mr Geoff Gearing, I the Mayor of Ashburton, were elected as the other zone five delegates to the national executve.