Picket of law firm wins better deal

Press, 23 October 1989, Page 7

Picket of law firm wins better deal

By CULLEN SMITH The Canterbury Clerical Workers’ Union has reached a redundancy settlement with the Christchurch law firm of Oldham, Cullens and Company for three staff who have been laid off. Staff went on strike last Friday and picketed the firm this week after the three lost their jobs pending the dissolution of the partnership at the end of Octo-

Oldham Cullens and Company engaged an industrial consultant who had negotiated a satisfactory redundancy agreement, according to one of the partners, Mr John Cullens. “Despite the public demonstration we were always willing to talk to them and we initiated the consultant to resolve matters,” Mr Cullens said.

The secretary of the clerical union, Mr Bernard Mcllhone, said he was reasonably happy with the settlement, details of which would not be released as part of the agreement. Staff had returned to work at the firm on Thursday morning after lifting their picket at the corner of Oxford Terrace and Hereford Street at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

The deal negotiated was better than an offer from the partners before the picket was set up, Mr Mcllhone said. “It illustrates the usefulness of workers sticking together in pursuing a deal on redundancy," he said. It also shows the usefulness of putting up a public display of support for each other with a picket.”