Addington rail workers decide to ‘sit tight’

Press, 24 August 1988, Page 10

Addington rail workers decide to ‘sit tight’

By

RICHARD CRESSWELL

industrial reporter About 80 Addington workers had decided to “sit tight” after a meeting at the railway workshops yesterday, said the national general secretary of the National Union of Railwaymen, Mr Don Goodfellow, yesterday. Union officials have been in Canterbury this week to meet workers in the wake of huge job cuts announced by the Railways Corporation, among these the loss of up to 200 jobs at Addington. He said the N.U.R. members decided against accepting options offered

by the corporation for ending their jobs. The corporation as part of continuing restructuring is offering voluntary severance, early retirement, redeployment and retraining. Mr Goodfellow said Addington was the only place where workers did not want to leave. Canterbury workers also had a reputation for being “quite volatile.” The workers opposed the corporation’s offers, said Mr Goodfellow. Only six of the workers at yesterday’s meeting wanted to accept the corporation deal. “The next move is up to

management." During the last four years the corporation had managed to shed staff because workers had opted for severance. “This is the first situation where those rules won’t apply.” Mr Goodfellow said the union had worked hard campaigning at the last Labour election and had done that in good faith. Addington workers were the victims of a plan which was “thrown together.” The workshops manager, Mr Kevin Rasmussen, said it was too early to tell what success workers might have in retaining

jobs. “Long term, perhaps they are chasing a lost cause.” Last week’s plans were broad-based and details had yet to be finalised, he said. “Certainly Addington has to be reduced, but the exact size depends on what contract work they can find outside the workshops.” A successful Canterbury tender for H.M.N.Z.S. Southland would benefit the workshops, Mr Rasmussen said. Mr Rasmussen, who is a member of the Railway Officers’ Institute, will take early retirement.