NO MEAT FAMINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 258, 31 October 1929, Page 7

NO MEAT FAMINE.

MASTERS TURN TO WORK

VETERANS ON THE "BOARD."

POSITION AT WESTFIELD

STRIKERS STILL IDLE. • It is not anticipated that there will be any shortage of meat supplies in Auckland in the meantime as the result of the cessation of operations by slaughtermen at the city abattoirs and the works of R. and W. Hellaby. Ltd. Fair quantities of meat are in storage', and, in addition, master butchers and temporary staffs ar<» "killing beef and mutton sufficient for their own requirements. The strike, which affects 100 men, was not long in progress before the Auckland Master Butchers' Association discussed the- situation and decided to do their own killing at the abattoirs. One representative at least from each shop was dispatched to the works, and supplies under these conditions were maintained throughout yesterday afternoon and to-day. Many of the forty or fifty men who have replaced the slaughterers on the "boards" have had previous experience, and gave' similar assistance in the 1921 strike. Education of 1921 Strike. "The education that the master butchers gained during the last strik" is standing them in good stead to-day," stated the manager of the abattoirs, Mr. R. W. Rugg. "With the arrangement* made for the maintenance of supplies, T do not anticipate there will be ' any shortage of meat." Mr. Rugg added that it was not desired by the abattoirs authorities to take any action that was likely to incite the strikers further. So far as they were concerned, however, there was no dispute. The award which classified the killing of pigs as "unskilled labour" had been framed, and it was merely a matter of the employers abiding by it. They had to honour an award made by the Arbitration Court, and naturally the men were expected to dVi likewise. The slaughtering staff, in. accordance with the provisions of the new award, was reduced on Saturday last due to the fact that a pig team was to be engaged on the new rates of pay. All the slaughtermen who applied for work as labourers on pig work yesterday morning, however, were engaged, despite the statement made to the contrary by the secretary of the Slaughtermen and Butchers Union (Mr. W. Sill). Mr. Rugg accounted for the fact that the Southdown and Westfield freezing works were not affected by the strike owing to their operations being seasonal and governed by a different award from that applying to abattoirs. Pigs Being Killed by Labourers. A certain number of pigs was killed at the abattoirs this morning, the work being executed by a staff of eight unskilled labourers. At the Hellaby works killing was being confined largely to mutton. There was a full complement of ten men on the "boards," the workmen comprising foremen drawn from other parts of the works and a few free labourers. Mr. J. Hellaby, w"ho overseered operations for a time,, was satisfied with the output maintained, and intimated that there was. no likelihood of a meat famine. There were sufficient stores in the chillers to supplement the slightly lessened output till such time as the temporary slaughtermen became broken in properly, and that would only be a matter of a few days. It is argued on behalf of the strikers by Mr. Sill that the men are smarting under an injustice, in that the new award made by the Arbitration Court was against the weight of evidence. The rates of pay for the killing of pigs was the chief bone of contention, but the slaughtering of mutton also entered into the question. Under the new award slaughtermen were asked to.kill pigs for about 3id a" head, while men on similar work at the Southdown and Horotiu works received 1/5 and 1/11 under the freezing works award. Use of Machinery. The men admitted that the use of machinery lessened their work, aiid for this a deduction of 4d a head was formerly made. The introduction' of machinery, however, was to promote efficiency, and not to reduce the status of the worker. The Court, in addition to classifying the killing of pigs as "unskilled labour," had reduced the rates for long-shank sheep by 3/9 a hundred without any application from either party.

After the stopwork meeting held at the works yesterday morning the strikers dispersed to their homes, but in the evening the executive of the Butchers' Union discussed the situation. Xo new developments were reported, and up till this afternoon no negotiations had been made with the employers for a settlement. It is stated on behalf of the men that dissatisfaction at the city abattoirs has existed for the past.two years, and that the alteration of certain rates in the new award has brought it to a head. At a meeting of men prior to the strike the following resolution was passed: "That in view of the absolute disregard by the Arbitration Court of the evidence tendered by the parties during the hearing of the abattoir dispute, and the complete departure made in the award from the principles of equity and justice, the slaughtermen affected feel justified in refusing to accept the extraordinary conditions imposed by the Court." Further Meeting To-morrow. It is not anticipated that there will be any further move on the part of the men till to-morrow morning, when a meeting will be held at Otahuhu. It is possible that by then Mr. P. Hally, Conciliation Commissioner, will have intervened in the dispute, as he returned to Auckland from Wellington this morning. ''So far I have not done anything over the trouble at Westfield," said Mr. Hally, "and neither has my assistance been solicited." "We are keeping things moving," said Mr. G. 0. Knight, president of the Auckland Master Butchers' Association, in discussing the success that is attending the efforts of the voluntary workers at Westfield. "The public will not go without meat, though there might be a slight shortage for a day or two. There will be sufficient supplies to carry on." OFFER TO UNION. The action taken by the Mayor (Mr. George Baildon) and the chairman of the Markets and Stores Committee. ((Mr. M. J. Bennett) in regard to the dispute was confirmed at a meeting of the committee held at the Town Hall this morning. The committee instructed that a letter be forwarded to the union stating that if the men would go back to their work full consideration would be given to any representations 1 they desired to mako in connection with the award.