^AUSTRALIA

PRIME MINISTER

FOR MEDIA ^ 0  SUNDAY, 23 MARCH, 1980

ELECTORATE TALK

Australia's oldest major export industry has just come through  a pointless,  futile strike, which lasted eleven weeks. .

The wool industry has been disrupted around Australia and around .   the world because of the way in which a claim, by the  Storemen and Packers' Union was handled in the Arbitration  Commission, and because the union refused to. accept the final  decision made by the Full Bench of the Commission. .  .

The Government had hoped the normal arbitral processes would  bring the dispute to an end. The Government became involved  after it was clear that one large union was employing the  tactic of dividing the industry so that only sections of it

felt the brunt of a national strike. Within a week of the  Government's involvement,.the strike was over. The industry  is now actively engaged in catching up with its delayed  shipments and lost orders. .

For the men involved there has been an enormous loss of wages. In Melbourne and Sydney, members of the Storemen and Packers' .   Union lost a total of 45 working days, as well as the  opportunity to work at overtime or penalty rates during weekends.  For these 400 workers, it will take about 10 years for them

to make up their lost pay.  For another 1,400 members of the  Storemen and.Packers' Union the loss of wages because of  shorter stoppages was less, but it is nevertheless heavy. In the  meantime, union officials continue to be paid.

The wool dispute is a reminder that it is always worthwhile  to take a stand on principle against the, bullying of trade  union officials.

In New South Wales, the life of the community is under the  threat of industrial action in the oil industry from the  Transport Workers' Union. There is chronic industrial trouble  in New South Wales, arising not only from the activities of .

trade union leaders, but also from the weakness of the . Wran Labor Government. .

Mr. Wran has demonstrated to the trade unions that if they  bring pressure, he will give in. His industrial policy is simple:  it is to buy time by surrendering to trade unions without paying  any heed whatsoever to the consequences, either for the rest of

the country or for the future.  He puts public relations  before principle. .

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This climate of industrial permissiveness which Mr. Wran  has created in New South Wales is one which affects the  whole country, as trade union leaders move in other States  to match the gains they have made in New South Wales.

In New South Wales the issue in the current dispute is that  of the rights of an individual.  Mr. Leon Laidely is a  self-made man running a small business who has been caught  between a large oil corporation and a large union. They

reached an agreement which cut off his supplies.

If two corporations had agreed to refuse to supply a third '   party, it would be outside the law. Should not the same  principle apply when the agreement is between a big  company and a big union?

It is unfortunate for Mr. Laidely that he operates in a State  where the Premier puts publicity ahead of good Government.

The State Government has power to take action to ensure  proper trading conditions for small businessmen like  Mr. Laidely. Mr. Wran could have acted. He chose not to.

The Government has succeeded in bringing together all the  parties to this dispute, including Mr. Laidely,  .in the desire  to see a settlement which takes into account the interests  of all parties and not just the Transport Workers' Union

and the oil companies.

The Government has a duty to uphold the rights of individuals  and a duty to maintain an effective industrial relations  framework.

It.is always possible to solve disputes by giving strikers  what they ask for. Because of wider and fundamental  implications for the Australian economy,-, disputes must be  ended in. a responsible.and reasonable manner. .

The price of peace today should not be more industrial strife,  higher inflation and greater unemployment tomorrow.

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