P.M. threatens to ‘get tough’ with striking pilots at early Parliament

Press, 10 April 1979, Page 1

P.M. threatens to ‘get tough’ with striking pilots at early Parliament

PA ’ Wellington The Government may call an early session of Parliament to deal with the domestic airline pilots’ strike.

The Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) said last evening that he “had in mind” to call an early session to pass tough legislation to deal with the strike, “if necessary.”

The new Parliament is not set to meet until May

The strike has “grounded” about 8500 would-be passengers.

Mr Muldoon had said earlier that there was provision under the law for the chairman of the Air Crew Industry Tribunal to call a compulsory conference over the dispute about seniority of domestic pilots, after the merger of Air New Zealand and the National Airways Corporation.

The seniority issue has been before the tribunal, but its chairman, Chief Judge R. D. Jamieson, said in a reserved decision last month that the matter was so complex it should be heard by an arbitration panel of overseas experts, whose decision would be final.

There was also provision for Air New Zealand, or the Secretary of Labour (Mr G. L. Jackson), to prosecute because the required 14 days notice of

the strike had not been given.

Mr Muldoon had said that it was not the Government’s job to prosecute. The law had been written so that someone other than the Government could prosecute. However, the Government would support any action taken by the company.

He said that the Air Force would transport Ministers and Government officials where necessary on Government business. The tribunal was one of several options the Government was examining, said the Minister of Labour (Mr Bolger).

No official talks were being held last evening, Mr Bolger said. One of the problems encountered in the dispute was getting in touch with the pilots as a body. Mr Bolger said that he was asked to appear on TVl’s “Dateline Monday” programme last evening. He said that he would appear if the pilots came forward: they did not.

“I don’t have a clear impression as to what they want,” Mr Bolger said. “I know they have caused a hell of a lot of disruption to a lot of people.”

The tribunal offered a “structured approach” to the problem, and it did not seem wise to look for an ad hoc approach when this one was available. Mr Bolger said that the dispute was an internal one, between the pilots and their employer. The pilots have been given until 5 p.m. today to report for normal duties. If they do not they face dismissal, according to an Air New Zealand spokesman in Christchurch. Telegrams to this effect were sent out late yesterday afternoon from Auckland, replacing an earlier order that had required the pilots to report for duty as rostered or to face dismissal.

The spokesman said that the company would examine the position again in the morning and “hope that something comes out.” About 60 of the 285 affected pilots are based in Christchurch, and local buses have benefited from the strike. Newmans Coach Lines’ service to Picton at 7.30 a.m. today has been overbooked, according to the manager (Mr R. N. Reader). The 11.30 a.m. coach still had some room, however,

and he expected some cancellations for the earlier bus. New Zealand Railways Road Services and Midland Coachlines reported business as usual yesterday and were not expecting any significant increase in demand today. Air-freight services have not been affected by the dispute, as Argosies and Bristols are performing normal freight duties. Airmail service has been temporarily suspended, More than 800 passengers were stranded in Dunedin by the pilots’ strike. Eight flights from Dunedin were cancelled and all had been fairly fully booked, according to Air New Zealand’s Dunedin manager, Mr H. Duval-Smith. Passengers booked on international flights leaving from Christchurch were being advised to take alternative transport to the city, and a similar message was being given to passengers leaving from Wellington and Auckland. A few were able to get seats on the DCIO flight which left Christchurch last evening, but this service was heavily booked. Some priority was given where possible on compassionate grounds.