Building award settled; labourers stalemated

Press, 28 April 1989, Page 4

Building award settled; labourers stalemated

PA Wellington The building trades award, which covers 12,000 carpenters, joiners, bricklayers and other workers, has been settled at a 4 per cent increase for the first six months of the award with another 1 per cent for the other five months. The Building Trades Union secretary, Mr Ashley Russ, said the award was settled without concessions to the employers on clock hours and other changes. Although there were aspects of a “catch up” in the final settlement, it was still one of the highest settlements this wage round, he said.

Tpe union had also negotiated a new redundancy deal providing for redundancy entitlement after 20 weeks with the same employer. Though the agreement was voluntary, all major builders were expected to sign, and employers who signed would be protected from further industrial action over redundancy under the Labour Relations Act. Meanwhile, construction sites are still quiet because of labourers’ strike action over their award stalemate. Agreement between employers and the union was reached earlier this month on a 4 per cent pay rise, to run from settle-

ment date to November 30, but the employers refused to sign the new award until agreement was also reached on redundancy issues. The parties planned to meet at the Arbitration Commission on Monday, although a Labourers’ Union spokesman, Mr Paul Teariki said he did not hold out much hope for a quick settlement. The union yesterday distributed food parcels to about 300 Wellington labourers.

The Wellington Master Builders’ Association president, Mr John Bishop, said the strike action had delayed work on big projects.