FREEZING WORKS STOPPAGES

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23587, 14 March 1942, Page 6

FREEZING WORKS STOPPAGES

ACTION AGAINST EMPLOYEES

STATEMENT BY MINISTER (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 13. The stoppage of work which developed at the Westfield works of R. and W. Hellaby, Ltd., on Thursday. afternoon continued throughout to-day. About *550 workers, who are members of the Auckland Freezing Workers’ Union, refrained from working, and only the employees in the cannery department worked as usual. It was stated that the hold-up VS*: work was the result of the claims®!).' two rival unions to secure the membership of women who recently com-: menced employment in the canning, department. The dispute over the staffing of a pig slaughtering team at the Westfield freezing works of W. and R. Fletcher, Ltd., led to a stoppage of work for more than three hours in that department. About 26 labourers were concerned in the dispute, which did not , involve any other of the; workers. . , The Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) states that proceedings have been instituted against those responsible for the stoppage at Hellaby’s works, and that the expulsion of those responsible for these stop-work meetings is also under consideration. Approximately 350 freezing workers failed to resume work at Westfield yes-! terday and were still out at lunch time to-day. ■ , . it _. “When the men were asked this morning if they proposed to return to work, the reply was, ‘That is indefinite’,” said an officer of the company; “The spokesman added that the men would come for their wages at 1,30. “Whatever justification the worker! felt they had in this particular dls* pute,” said Mr Webb, “it is an unpardonable offence at the present time'to stop production. Every pound of production we can bring into being is absolutely essential to the war effort, as, in the last analysis, the nations’ workshops will become the determining factor as to whether democracy lives or perishes. “If certain individuals assume the right to stop production at their own sweet will, they will be expelled from, any industry which vitally .affects the war effort. It is too late in the day to have petty grievances interfering with that effort. I am certain that the great bulk of workers everywhere share this view. , “These stoppages betray every principle of unionism which, while providing many great advantages for mem* bers, also carries with it responsibilities. Machinery has been provided to settle disputes constitutionally, and II unions think they can enjoy the protection of the law without observing iv they have another think coming. ■, The Minister again appealed to the great mass of these workers, who, he said, were doing an excellent job under unpleasant conditions to continue ai their work. He would give an undertaking that every dispute would be investigated at the earliest moment, bu* work must go on. COMMENT BY MAYOR OF DUNEDIN ♦ • “ENOUGH TO MAKE ONE’S HEAD HANG IN SHAME” (P.A.) DUNEDIN, March 13. “Side by side with the stirring appeal to the people of New Zealand by the Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall), which was published this morn* ing,” said the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen), at the annual meeting of the League, “we have news of freezuifeg workers refusing to work. At a tjgSy like this, when this New Zealand or ours, and the Empire, are in gravest peril we have men who, instead ol supporting the Government to the utmost, are prepared for the sake of some petty quarrel to put aside the welfare of the nation by refusing to work. “Whatever are we thinking of m this country?” Mr Allen asked. “It enough to make one hang one’s head in shame. I feel that it is time public men drew attention to these things.