PM Transcripts

PRESS : RELEASE RA P. M. iNo. 75/ 1967.
POSTAL DISPUTE
Prime Minister's Reply to Mr. Monk
Following Cabinet consideration of the two telegrims
received from the President of the Mr. Monk, the Prime
Minister, Mr. Holt today sent a telegram to Mr. Monk in these
terms ( full text of telegram follows)
The Government last evening considered your telegrams of
last Friday and Monday.
The Postmaster-General and Minister for Labour and National
Service will be ready to meet with representatives of the A. C. T. U.
and the postal unions concerned next week at a time to be arranged
with you. As Mr, Bury and Senator Anderson stated on 4th July, the
Government, believing that the public requires Saturday services,
intends that appropriate services will oe provided.
As to penalties, you will recall that Senator Anderson, as
Acting Postmaster-General met with the three unions on 19th June
and undertook to examine the claims they submitted. Yet within days
threats of stonna: es were published. I; hen the Minister sought
assurances that there would be no stoppage he received evasive replies
except from the Postmasters' Association.
Following Cabinet's consideration of developments, the
Minister on 27th June, i. e. before the 1st July stoppage, ublicly
indicatea Cabinet's view that the unions' claims coula not oe
considered under threat of a stoppage and Cabinet's direction that
if a stoppage did occur disciplinary action would be taken under the
Public Service Act.
Notwithstanding the continuing threat of a stoppage I
myself telegraphed Mr. jenaud on 29th June that Mr. Bury and Senator
Anderson would meet the three unions concerned provided the U. P. C. T.
and the cancelled the proposed stopnage. The text of this
telegram was conveyed on the same day to Messrs. Slater and B3ker.
Despite all the Government's efforts to have this whole
matter discussed in a sensible fashion, a stoppage did occur on
1st July. The course taken could mean only one thing namely
that the leaders of the A. P. and the I. P. C, T. were bent on a
direct confrontation \. ith the Government. were however " lad to
note that a lare numoer of their members did not support tne stoppage.
Relevant to all this, I must remind you, is the agreement
of 8th Aril, 1964, to which you and Me:; srs. aters and Slayer were
signatories. The relevant passage reads
" For their part, the A. C. T. U. and the A. P. U. : ill not
suonort any stoopa5e of work on an industrial issue in
future but will negotiate and failing agreement, will go
to aroitration. In the event of the men stopning work
the A. C. T. U. and the U. agree that the orescribed
penalty nrovisions of the Act will je appropriately applied."
It so happens that the fines will not have been deducted
by the time the Miinisters meet you. You and your colleagues will thus
have the opportunity to make to the Ministers any further representations
you wish on the question of penalties.
CA1JERLA. 19 JULY, 1967.