‘Strikes should be last resort’

Press, 17 April 1979, Page 4

‘Strikes should be last resort’

PA Wellington Many trade-union leaders in New Zealand seemed prepared to "shoot first and talk later,” said the president rtf the New Zealand Chambers of Commerce (Mr J. R. Greenfield). Strikes and strike threats should be a last resort, said Mr Greenfield, commenting on recent industrial action or threatened action by airport engineers, Northern Drivers' Union members, Mangere bridge workers, boilermakers on the Bank of New Zealand site in Wellington, Cook Strait ferry workers, and the Wellington container crane incident. “Threats of strikes and mass disobedience are one of the problems of our age, and they reflect the need for high quality and responsible leadership in all walks of life,” he said. Trade unions were an important part of the community and because of their numbers and their discipline, they wielded great strength, which had to be used carefully and responsibly, he said. "It

is not good enough to say: ‘Either we get our way re- j gardless, or we shall dam- I age the community’,” he ! said. "It is up to the trade j unions to show that they | are a free, democratic and I beneficial organisation. ; The hall marks of demo- I cracy are open meetings, i public reporting. secret I votes, and freedom from fear." There was a danger that competitive greed and un- I compromising demands by | trade unions would head | New Zealand straight for I Communist dictatorship. j “As a first step in the I right direction, we hope it I may be possible for the Prime Minister, the Leader J of the Opposition, and the president of the F. 0.1.. to ( meet and agree upon same | common aims and ground | rules for the benefit of all | New Zealanders,” said Mr i Greenfield. "Of course, there will j be difficulties on details of ' shares of the cake, but surely there can be agree- j ment that we need a bet- , ter cake, which needs a j better recipe, and may I even need some different i approach by the cook,” he I said.