CANNERS IDLE

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 153, 10 April 1941, Page 2

CANNERS IDLE

DISPUTE AT WESTFIELD WORKS.

REFUSAL TO SPEED UP OUTPUT.

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 9

A dispute between the employees in the meat preserving department at tho Westfield freezing works and tho management to-day resulted in a stoppage of work in that department at about 10.30 a.m. Efforts to compose the differences proved unsuccessful, and shortly after 2 p.m. work ceased in all other departments and the. employees, numbering about 1400, held a. meeting. The works were idle for the remainder of the day.

At the instance of the Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb), who was advised of the position by telegraph, Air C. L. Hunter, Conciliation commissioner, who was in Auckland, went to the works in the afternoon and conducted negotiations. A report of the deliberations will be put before a mass meeting of employees to-morrow morning. An official statement issued by the management stated : “A stoppage of work occurred to-day in consequence of a decision bv a section of the male employees in the meat preserving department to limit the output of the plant. The decision was unacceptable to the management, and a number of men were paid off. In consequence of this employees in the department, numbering 385, stopped work. Efforts to settle the dispute were unsuccessful,, and about 2 p.m. a general meeting all employees at the works was called. This involved a cessation of work in all departments, and affected about 1400 employees.”

Representatives of the employees in tho preserving department stated that they had objected to the speeding up of operations. Tho management had ordered an increase in output, claiming that it was a war measure. “The employees contended that the working of the plant at its increased output would impose harsh working conditions on the staff , and especially women and girls, of whom there are about 200 engaged in the cannery,” stated the representative. “When six of the men protested, and said that they would work to the normal output, they were sacked.” Air Hunter expressed the hope that the dispute would he settled to-morrow.