Media Release: National Distribution Union
Wednesday August 26 2009

Minister of Labour escalating Telecom workers’dispute

The National Distribution Union (NDU) is calling on the Prime Minister to clarify whether his Minister of Labour has unnecessarily escalated the Telecom workers’ dispute, by refusing to meet with a group of workers entirely unconnected to the dispute.

“Kate Wilkinson was due to meet the executive committee of the NDU today, but her office has advised that the “risks are too great for her to come” and that she cannot meet with any union because Telecom workers are on strike,” NDU National Secretary Robert Reid said.

“This is despite the fact that the workers employed by Telecom contractors were striking on Monday only, and are members of different union. Even so, neither of these reasons are an excuse to cancel a meeting.”

“We think the Prime Minister needs to clarify whether this response sets a precedent, and, given Kate Wilkinson’s logic is that she can’t meet with any union, not just the union for Telecom workers, whether his Ministers will also be refusing to meet with any business representatives in New Zealand because of a current industrial dispute at Telecom.”

“Unions are the legitimate voice of workers and are an important part of the economy, and Kate Wilkinson needs to recognise that.”

“Other National Party representatives, including Deputy Prime Minister Bill English, have had no such qualms with meeting our members so we can only assume the Minister of Labour is afraid to front up and meet workers. We hope we are wrong,”Robert Reid said.

The NDU executive meets in Auckland today

ENDS

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