FREEZING WORKERS' DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 17015, 11 December 1920, Page 8

FREEZING WORKERS' DISPUTE.

. 8MEN'S REPLY TO EMPLOYEES' OFFER. (rttESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, December 10. To-day, Mr Niall, secretary of the Freezing Workers' Federation, made the following reply to statements contained in a letter received by him from the representatives of the owners: "The position is that the companies flatly refused to meet representatives of the men to iMecuss tho question of wages. They have laid down what they consider a sufficient increase to the men, and will not hear the men's side in refutation of their proposals. Tho companies' final offer has been referred to the men, and has been turned down light throughout the showing that what the companies claimed to bo ft generous offer is hot so regarded by tho men in the industry. It ha 3 been dinned into tho workers for the past eighteen months that thev should get into closer .co-operation with tho employers to discuss industrial matters, it being held that this would be of benefit to the workers and the employers, but now that tho Freezing Workers' Federation wish to do this, the employers shut and bolt, the gate on them and give them no opportunity of discussing what they claim to be fair and reasonable rates, although not up to the purchasing power of the wages the men were receiving in 1914. There is no discrimination in favour of hourly hands, as suggested hv the employers, because they do not earn nearly the isame wages as pieceworkers, and therefore 22£ per cent, to hourly hands is not nearly as great a concession as 20 per cent, to pieceworkers. The freezing industry, according to the Prime Minister, is the most important industry in this country, and if the owners of freezing works are quite content tc keep their works shut just at a time i when the new season's meat should be i going out- of tho country to balance t the excess of imports over exports i well, then, that is their funeral. Bui i it must be obvious to anyone closelj . connected with the commercial life ol - this country that it is a matter thai ■ concerns the whole of the Dominion."