Catering dispute at school

Press, 26 October 1989, Page 6

Catering dispute at school

PA Auckland Cooks and catering assistants at a private Auckland school for boys locked themselves in the kitchen yesterday, refusing to feed 300 boarders. The dispute was over a new roster. Staff at Dilworth School were back at work yesterday afternoon and school heads would make no statement on the issue. The 13 kitchen staff were angry their employers had imposed a new roster system which would reduce their weekly wage by $lOO to $l5O.

They refused to provide food for students until they had an agreement from the school management that the new rosters would not take effect until they were negotiated through the right channels.

The Northern Hotel and Hospital Workers’ Union’s assistant secretary, Mr Phil Spanswick, said the dispute was resolved to members’ satisfaction until negotiations took place next week. Members returned to work under the old roster.

Mr Spanswick said the wage cuts that would have been effec-

tive under the new roster were severe because wages for kitchen staff were already minimal. Cooks are paid $308.40 for a 40-hour week, catering assistants $291.20 and chief cooks just over $350.

The Dilworth School catering manager, Mr Jim Sampson, was told to apologise to the workers for trying to impose working hours contrary to the original employment conditions. Mr Sampson would not comment.

A school spokesman said the school would not make a public statement on the dispute.