PRM ONSE
FOR MEDIA 3 JUNE 1979
ELECTORATE TALK
over the last few months, industries in New South Wales have
been disrupted and threatened because of the actions of a
group of refinery workers at Kurnell.
Although they are part of a national industry, they have acted
to try and get more money for themselves under a State award.
They have refused to accept the ruling of the Conciliation and
Arbitration Commission that they had to work under the Federal
Award. They have set out to deliberately defy the Commission the
independent umpire.
In this they have been adided and supported by the New South Wales
government. That is irresponsible government.
By such support, the government of that State has contributed
directly to the prolonging of that dispute. It has caused the
people of New South Wales needless hardship and inconvenience.
The men at Kurnell members of the State branch of the Australian
Workers Union, which operates separately from the Federal body
which covers the rest of the industry in the State don't care
about disruption or hardship.
They don't care about extra money they think they can squeeze
from another award. Their motives are purely selfish.
But what are the motives of the New South Wales government in
supporting them? Just what will the people of New South Wales
gain from their gove'rnment supporting this-kind of tactic?
The answer is obscure. Maybe Mr Wran will let his constituents
into his ~ secret.
The oil industry is a vital and sensitive one. Surely Mr Wran
could see that his government's actions were going to lead to
damage in this sensitive area.
Because of the national implications of this kind of action,
I have been in touch with Mr Wran to make the point that his / 2
-2
government has a responsibility to uphold the decision of the
Full Bench of the Council of the Arbitration Commission.
The New South Wales Government has a clear obligation to
convince the men that they should abide by the decisions of
the Commission to continue to work under the Federal award.
Regrettably, I'm afraid, much of the present industrial unrest
in New South Wales stems from the State government's decision
to legislate for a 37 hour week in the power industry.
It was predictable that that irresponsible decision was bound
to unleash a number of other claims outside of indexation.
Naturally, the unions believed that if the State government was
prepared to support one group, it should also support another.
We can now see the folly of the power industry decision.
All governments have a responsibility to accept the decisions
of arbitral tribunals. No government can afford to get into
the business of encouraging groups of trade unionists to reject
the industrial relations framework that has grown up in
Australia over the last 75 years.
As a large employer, the Federal Government is attempting to lead
by example. Where wage claims and other claims are being
pressed by unions with ba * ns and strikes and other actions, our
policy is clear, and it is fair. Refusal to work means no pay.
I cannot put it any more clearly, any more bluntly.
we have been advising employers in industry to make the same
stand. If a settlement is made outside the guidelines, we have made
it clear that the Governemnt will instruct the Prices Justification
Tribunal.* to carry out an immediate inquiry into the industry.
So employers have responsibilities also.
This whole question of strikeing and causing disruption in the
face of the Conciliation and Arbitration Commission gets to the
heart of the issue.
What's in it for the union to go out on strike? Loss of wages
and harmi to the community.
There seemns to be a myth that the Conciliati-on and Arbitration
Commnission, will not hear the workers' case until it gets headlines
in the pr~ ss because of strike action.
That is absolute nonsense. The Commission looks at the merits
of a case and the merits alone. A strike is not part of that
process.
3
There is no need for such strike action. No one wins.
Just ask the families and children during the recent milk
tanker drivers' strike when they were denied milk supplies.
The Federal Government is using all the powers that it has
to make all parties work within the system and abide by
the decision of the umpire.
And that is why we are seriously concerned and disappointed
by the action of the New South Wales government in supporting
a group of men who have set out to defy the Arbitration system.
This kind of action, this kind of support from a State
government, is simply not in the interusts of the people
of New South Wales. It is not in the interest of the people
of Australia. 000---