AIRMEN ON STRIKE

Chronicle (Levin), 16 March 1946, Page 4

AIRMEN ON STRIKE

EXASPERATION AT DELAYS RATE OF DEMOBILISATION AUCKLAND, March 15. Resentment at continued delays in demobilisation is believed to be the underlying cause of the stoppage of work by airmen at the R.N.Z.A.F. station at Mechanics Bay this afternoon. The stoppage which occurred at four o'clock was precipitated by an order imposing certain extra picket duties which were considered unreasonable by the' airmen. The station strength is about 400. The oiiicers, non-commissioned officers and W.A.A.F. are not, it is stated, concerned in the dispute. Between them they are maintaining skeleton staffs to operate such essential services as flying control, the meteorological section, signals, cookhouses and transport. Alternative arrangements had to be made, however, to load the Catalina scheduled to leave Mechanic's Bay early tomorrow morning. Taking the form of a sitdown strike in which the airmen signified their intent.ion of reporting present but not undertaking any work, the stoppage is unlikely to have any major effect until Monday. It occurred too late. to affect seriously the day's operations and,. since a five-day week is now worked in _ the Air Force with only skeleton staffs at weekends it was not diffi.cult.to make rearrangements to meet the duties to be performed at the weekend. The airmen stated that many of them were thoroughly dissatisfied at the extended delays in their demobilisation, and the publication of a local order requiring the men in rotation to undertake night picket duties in addition to their normal work was the "last straw." The stoppage is the latest of a series of actual or threatened developments of this nature that have occurred at some Auckland stations of the R.N.Z.A.P. during recent months. In each case it has been stated that the main reason has been discontent at delays in demobilisation although a new system designed to bring about quickej: xeleases was announced following developments at Whenuapai some weeks ago.