PM Transcripts

FOR PRESS: 11 2 4 JAN 1968
L / 8 R AV PM. No. 9/ 1968
POSTAL DISPUTE
Statement by the Prime Minister, Senator John Gorton
This evening, I sent the following telegram to the General
Secretary of the Amalgamated Postal Workers' Union ( Mr Slater)
" MY TELEGRAM OF JANUARY 14 HAS ALREADY
TOLD YOU THAT A CONFERENCE WITH THE PUBLIC
SERVICE BOARD WILL BE ARRANGED AS SOON AS YOUR
UNION WISHES AFTER THE DRIVERS HAVE RETURNED TO
NORMAL, REPEAT NORMAL, WORK.
" THE BOARD WILL GIVE FULL CONSIDERATION TC
ALL THE MATERIAL WHICH YOUR UNION PUTS FORWARD
ON WAGE CLAIMS STOP I CANNOT GIVE AN ASSURANCE
THAT A DECISION BY THE BOARD WILL BE GIVEN WITHIN
24 HOURS OF THE CONCLUSION OF THE CONFERENCE BUT
THERE WILL BE NO DELIBERATE OR UNDUE DELAY IN
GIVING A DECISION," 1
This was in reply to a telegram which I received from
Mr Slater this afternoon, which read
" YOUR TELEGRAM OF 14TH JANUARY CONSIDERED
BY FEDERAL EXECUTIVE APWU STOP MY EXECUTIVE SEEKS
AN ASSURANCE FROM YOU THAT IF A RETURN TO WORK
TAKES PLACE THAT A CONFERENCE WITH THE PUBLIC
SERVICE BOA-' RD WILL BE HELD FORTHWITH AND THAT AN
ASSURANCE BE GIVEN BY THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PUBLIC
SERVICE BOARD THAT A DECISION BE GIVEN ON THE DRIVERS
WAGE CLAIM WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE CONFERENCE
TAKING PLACE." i
CANBERRA, January, 1968.
Background Note:
The Prime Minister was kept fully informed today of all
developments in this dispute. He had telephone discussions with the
Postmaster -General, Mr Hulme, in Brisbane, and had talks at Parliament
House with the Chairman of the Public Service Board, Sir Frederick
Wheeler.