Untitled

Chronicle (Levin), 4 December 1948, Page 6

Press Association)

(Per

^WELLINGTON, Dee. 3. "Although the tribunal provided for by the Government Service Tribunal Bill as enacted last night is a vastly freer oue than the originai Bill would have provided it is still seriously fettered in two, and possibly three, i'mportant respOcts," said Mr. J. _P. Lewin, president of the Public Service Association, today. "TheTe had been no formal negotiations on the text of the Bill between the Government and the Association, and since t'he eombined organisations freed our Association to uegotiate on November 25 this la,ck of negotiation is entirely the Government 's responsibility, " the statement continuod. ^ "The amendments which the Governmont did make were based on submissions by the Assoiiiation last February and reitcrated in writing and verbally during the last few days when the Government Was tbld' that Without those amendments the tribunal would be useless. The rekulting. "eoncessions uierely prove the Association- 's coutentions ab'out tlie originai Pill ahd are a uieasure of the need which tlie Government feels to alibi itself in respect to salary increases" unjus.tly withheld from its employees. ' ' tVhether or- not - the Association will go into tlie" tribunal will have to be deterniined* Wheji.'thc rbal' meaning of certain doubtful clans'es of the Bill is ascertained. Our group and area sections will have- to be. consulted and it may be necessary to convene a special conferenee of tlie cxecutive council. "This questio% however, is of only secondary importance to tlie iminediate attainment of the overduo \ salary ^ increases. In cobiieration with -sister organisations the. Association ■ will cou-; tinue to press this iss'ue' ihdependeutiy of any tribunal devclopments. "The general secretary and I will be addressing rnass eombined service protest meetings- in Auckland On Monday night and Dunedin and Invercargifl next Wcdnesda-y and Thursday," concluded the statement'.