PILOTS CALL OFF STRIKE

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31081, 9 June 1966, Page 1

PILOTS CALL OFF STRIKE

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 8.

National Airways Corporation pilots have called off their one-day strike which was to have been held on June 16.

The president of the Airlines Pilots’ Association (Captain A. G. Vette) said the association executive decided today not to strike in an effort to reach a settlement with the minimum amount of inconvenience to the travelling public. Mutually acceptable terms had been drafted for an independent arbitrator to settle the dispute, he said. “We are gratified that the stop-work meeting is cancelled.” the deputy-general manager of NAC. (Mr L. L. Ford) said tonight “N.A.C. services will be flown as usual on June 16.”

The Minister of Civil Aviation (Mr McAlpine) told Parliament tonight that the pilots had accepted arbitration.

“The pilots have agreed to abide by the decision of the arbitrator,” he said.

He said he was “not at liberty” to name the arbitrator. Earlier, Mr McAlpine said the principal matter in dispute was salaries. The pilots were claiming increases of 20 to 25 per cent. Negotiations had taken place over a period of 12 months, but no agreement had been reached because of the wide difference between the pilots’ claims and what the corporation considered reasonable remuneration.