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Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 13, 16 January 1942, Page 3

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WESTFIELD WORKERS

PETROL CUT REINSTATED

As the result of a decision to authorise the restoration of the full petrol allocation to the Passenger Transport Company, Limited, it is anticipated that there will be no further hold-up at the Westfield Freezing Company's works at Westfield. Yesterday about 130 slaughtermen decided to cease killing at noon owing to dissatisfaction with the bus transport service between the city and the works.

When the Xo. 1 Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, was informed of the position yesterday afternoon he took immediate steps to advise the Commissioner of Transport in Wellington. The Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. C. L. Hunter, was also concerned in discussions which resulted in the restoration of the petrol cut.

One of the workers stated last night that they were not complaining about the service being uncomfortable and that they had to stand in crowded buses*. There were cases of men finishing at 4.30 p.m. and having to wait until about 7 p.m. to get a bus. After a man had done a heavy day's work on the slaughtering floor he wanted to get home as soon as possible. Another man said that while he did not approve of the direct action taken by the workers, they had been driven to it by the failure of all other forms of representation.

Mr. Phelan said he had received representations from the workers as far back as December 17 and had set out the text of the grievances and forwarded them to the Transport Department in Wellington, adding a personal note that in the event of satisfactory train arrangements not being made, something would have to be done to enable the workers to travel to and from their work.

One of the interested parties stated that a conference to transport the workers by suburban trains had proved abortive.