No Separate Award, Oil Companies Say

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31107, 9 July 1966, Page 1

No Separate Award, Oil Companies Say

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, July 8.

The six oil companies in New Zealand are prepared to negotiate a separate award for oil drivers, but only on a national basis, and only by normal conciliation methods, they say in a letter to the Secretary of Labour (Mr H. Parsonage).

At a meeting with representatives of the Drivers’ Federation earlier this week the oil companies agreed to say by today whether they would meet the federation in further talks.

Oil tanker drivers in Auckland have called a stop-work meeting for next Tuesday to consider the companies’ reply. The letter says:— “We have given additional

consideration to requests from the Drivers’ Federation that we should have further discussions and indicate the limits within which we would be prepared to negotiate. “We regret that we are unable to deviate from our position, which was stated at the meeting last Monday. “We are of the opinion that a further meeting at this stage would not lead to an agreement unless the Drivers’ Federation was prepared to discuss the principles of an oil drivers’ award, leaving negotiations in conciliation to settle details of pay and conditions.

“Our position has been consistent throughout this dispute and we state it again: (1) We are prepared to negotiate an oil drivers’ award if this is the wish of the Federation. (2) As a responsible group of employers we are not prepared to enter negotiations while the Motor and Horse Drivers’ Award is in conciliation.

“At the meeting on Monday we gave the following undertakings:

(1) H the drivers wish it, w6 would on July 19 make application to be struck out of the present award. Immediately following agreement on this award we would be prepared to begin negotiations for an oil drivers’ award.

(2) We would make conditions agreed to in an oil drivers’ award retroactive to July 19.

(3) We assure that we are prepared to negotiate pay and working conditions at least as favourable as those agreed to in the new Motor and Horse Drivers’ Award.

“In return for conditions which may be more favourable to the union, we would expect the union to consider the inclusion of provisions designed to improve efficiency in the Industry. “Finally, we must make It clear that we are not prepared to negotiate a separate agreement for oil drivers with only the Northern Drivers’ Union.”

The letter, which is signed by the Atlantic Union, B.P. (N.Z.), Caltex, Europa, Mobil and Shell Oil Companies, says the companies regard the stopwork meeting of tanker drivers in Auckland next week as a breach of faith.