FREEZING WORKS HOLD-UP

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21972, 22 December 1936, Page 12

FREEZING WORKS HOLD-UP

Men Dissatisfied With Court's Ruling VALUABLE TIME LOST AT AUCKLAND (rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 21. All work was stopped at noon today at the Westfleld and Southdown freezing works. The employees held a stop-work meeting in the city. The Arbitration Court's decision about conditions of employment was the issue. It is stated that the general opinion among the workers is that the schedule fixed is lower than that operating in 1931.

The half-day's work lost is a serious matter for exporters, who are particularly busy at present. The killing season for lambs is approaching its peak, and there is heavy pressure on the facilities at the works.

When the slaughtermen go back to work to-morrow morning, they will be well behind and can hardly catch up before Thursday. With the flow of fat stock coming in, some stock will have to be held until work is resumed on Monday, December 28. The works will close again from December 31 to January 4. About 1000 men are affected under the court award in the Auckland district, and dissatisfaction with its terms led to the meeting being called for this afternoon at the Trades Hall. It is stated that the men intend to join with the Hawke's Bay workers in a protest against the court ruling.