Power dispute

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 320, 23 January 1990, Page 2

Power dispute

From page 1 rostered to work on weekends and public holidays. With two operators at the Makaranui substation they would be expected by their employers to be on standby every second weekend and, while they are not restricted to their homes, they are restricted to a 15 minute travelling time radius of the substation. Mr Cartwright told the Bulletin the two parties had gone to the labour court about July last year with the dispute. The mediator had ruled that Electricorp could change the roster but could not force operators to be on standby on non-work-ing days. He said Electricorp has appealed the decision on the right to require operators to be available on standby and that the PSA has appealed Electricorp's right to change the roster. He said the appeals were heard about five months ago but no decision has been re-

leased yet. In all other areas in the country Electricorp is continuing its old system of manning substations until the dispute is settled but in the area run from Palmerston North, the corporation has decided to change the roster

without making allowances for the weekends and the dispute. Mr Cartwright said King Country Electric Power Board technicians were asked to fill the gap until the dispute is settled but that the workers refused.