GEAR WORKS AND MEAT EXPORT COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 14275, 10 February 1912, Page 12

GEAR WORKS AND MEAT EXPORT COMPANY'S EMPLOYEES.

FOUR HUNDRED MEN OT3T.

(PRESS ASSOCIATION TEUGBAMS.)

"WELLINGTON, February 9

About 300 mea employed at the Gear Meat Works at Tetono went on strike this morning, while a similar course was adopted by a number of men at the Wellington Meat Export Company's works at Ngahauranga. Jt is understood that the chief point at issue is the payment of overtime rates. The meat strikers number about 400, and about 100 more had to cease work in consequence of the strike. The city meat supply will probably not be seriously affected, as municipal biiiughiering continues.

The Hon. C. M. Luke, M.L.C., who presided over yesterday's conference by agreement of both parties, has made an official statement of the points in dispute. The men aifectod, he says, fire not slaughtermen, but men engaged in other branches and side lines or the freezing industry. The conditions of trade are such that a certain section of employees must be at work in the morning to prepare material for the other branches to deal with. Knch branch depends oir the other, with slight modifications. Yesterday the crucial point in dispute was as to at what hour of the twenty-four overtime should start. The * companies are prenared to pay overtime rates for work done after eight hours, but eight hours itself has to begin at any period within the twenty-four suitable for the character of the work in which the respective sections of employees are enframed. These employees represent unskilled labour, and other skilled labour. •V separate union has just been formed, and the rise, of wages was given by the employers about a fortnight ago voluntarily. ' The men wnnt a day's work of eight hours to be confined within the hours of 8 a.m. to o p.m., all other timo to count as overtime. The employers want the eight hours vt ordinary time to start from the time when tho men actually commence work. The claim for overtime by the men was at time and a half rates, but it was eventually agreed that they would accept time and a quarter. \ll round the companies were. proDared to make certain concessions to those who were working broken time, but the negotiations broke down on the crucial point as to when overtime should start.