Hard feelings at dam alleged

Press, 29 June 1988, Page 1

Hard feelings at dam alleged

By

GLEN PERKINSON

Clyde dam strike-breakers are being made scapegoats and unnecessarily harassed as the site unions attempt to inflame the situation at the dam, says the employer’s advocate. The advocate, Mr Mike Hanson, said yesterday that the combined site unions were using the strike-breakers to cover their own inability to resolve the 17week dispute. However, the unions’ advocate, Mr Calvin Fisher, hit back last evening and said the tension that remained on the site since last week’s return to work was the joint venture’s doing. The West German-New Zealand joint venture was bitter at having to increase its offer to the workers and “embarrassed” that its ploy to break the strike had flopped, Mr Fisher said. He accused the ZublinWilliamson joint venture of instigating the 30 or so strike-break-ers’ action last week and said it had "conned” the men into defying their unions. Zublin-Williamson has denied any part in the strike-break. Mr Fisher said the strikebreakers’ move had hindered a better and faster settlement for the 470-member workforce. He said a war of personalities was now being waged between the parties, incited by the company. Mr Hanson rejected these assertions and labelled them harassment of “30 very courageous men who put their necks on the block for others.”