FOR PRESS: 25JAN96 AAft P. M. No. 8/ 1968
PMG MOTOR DRIVERS' DISPUTE
Statement by the Prime Minister, Senator John Gorton
I gave directions that I should be kept fully Informed
on the postal dispute during the week-end, and was kept ac, 1ised of
developments by the Postmaster-General and by officials.
I discussed the matter with the Chairman of the
Public Service Board, Sir Frederick VWheeler, at my home this
afternoon. At midday today I had received a telegram from the
General Secretary of the Amalgamated Postal Workers' Union ( Mr Slater).
The telegram said " FEDERAL EXECUTIVE APWU OF AUSTRALIA
STRONGLY URGE YOU REQUEST SIR FREDERICK WHEELER,
CHAIRMAN COMMON4WEALTH PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD, TO
CONFER WITH APWU REPRESENTATIVES AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE. REPRESENTATIVES IN CANBERRA TOMORROW.
WILL RECEIVE ANY MESSAGE FORWARDED HOTEL KURRAJONG" 1
I replied this afternoon as follows
" I UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER YOU GAVE
ASSURANCES TO THE PUBLIC SERVICE BOARD THAT THERE
WOULD BE NO STOPPAGES THE BOARD HAD AGREED TO CONFER
WITH APWU ON MOTOR DRIVERS PAY CLAIM[ S NEXT FRIDAY.
HOWEVER, BECAUSE OF YOUR TELEGRAM I HAVE ASKED SIR
FREDERICK WHEELER TO BE PREPARED TO CONFER WITH THE
UNION AS SOON AS THE MOTOR DRIVERS HAVE RESUMED
NORMAL WORK AS DIRECTED BY THE ACTU. MATTER IS
THEREFORE IN YOUR HANDS AND CONFERENCE COULD BE
HELD TOMORROW AFTER RESUMPTION OF NORMAL WORK."
CANBERRA, 14 January, 1968.
FOR PRESS:PMG MOTOR DRIVERS' DISPUTE - STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER, SENATOR JOHN GORTON.
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