Dispute closes motor assembly plant

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 21

Dispute closes motor assembly plant

PA Auckland The New Zealand Motor Corporation’s assembly plant at Panmure has closed indefinitely because of a travelallowance dispute. The dispute, which has been affecting the company for the last seven weeks, came to a head on Tuesday when a rolling strike closed two departments. The company deemed the rest of the plant to be on strike and by noon the plant was idle. About 400 staff are involved. Production of Minis, Allegros, and Marina estate waggons has been halted. Notices issued to the staff, within 50 minutes of the maintenance and stores departments walking off the job, said the staff had been warned previously that “restrictive action by one or more sections ■ will be deemed to be a strike by the whole plant.”

d No more work would be J available until the travel* j r claim was withdrawn and all ti “genuine assurance” was re-|< i-ceived from the unions that i I- the staff were prepared to 1 return to normal work. s The secretary of the Auck- ' c land Engineers’ Union. Mr E. ' ;, |W. J. Ball, said that Motor j i Corporation staff members 11 would have talked to the management in preference to e; striking. ■ji “But the company refused to talk it over and union ' 1 members decided to call a . rolling strike.” he said. “The 2 management at first denied that other employees were getting a travel allowance.” ’ I The company later j reversed its position but it ’I still refused to negotiate, he i: said. When a return to work was made it was believed there would be ?. discussions with the manage1 ment.