FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19665, 8 July 1929, Page 7

FREEZING WORKS DISPUTE.

1 JUDGMENT OF COURT. By a judgment given in the Arbitration Court by his Honour Mr Justice Frazer firemen in freezing works, if put en to perform watchmen's duties during the slack season, though doing certain duties in the engine-room, will come into the classification of casual watchmen under the award. The Court was asked to decide the dispute between the Canterbury Freezing Works and Related Trades Employees' Union and the Canterbury Frozen Meat and Dairy Produce Export Company, Ltd., by giving an interpretation of the clauses of the award governing the wages and working conditions of engine-room employees, and of watchmen, regularly employed and casual. Application was made to the Court to determine the matters in dispute by giving an opinion in respect of the following specific case: The busv-season watchmen arp discharged a: the end of the season. Firemen have heen put on to perform watchmen's duties during the slack season, and have performed certain duties m the engine-room during their watch as watchman. The ordinary watchmen on duty during the busy season cannot work the pumps and have not been expected to do so. Are these men still firemen, or do they become watchmen'' In the latter case are they casual watchmen or watchmen regularly employed -'