FREEZING WORKS STRIKE

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24149, 7 January 1944, Page 4

FREEZING WORKS STRIKE

NO SETTLEMENT YET REACHED

STATEMENT BY UNION OFFICIAL

The strike of slaughtermen at the Kaiapoi works of the North Canterbury Sheepfarmers’ Co-operative Company, Ltd., which began on Tuesday afternoon, was not settled yesterday. Officials of the National Service Department and the Labour Department addressed a meeting of all the workers in the morning, and after a conference between the officials and representatives of the strikers and the company, the strikers decided to meet again this morning. At present only 37 slaughtermen are on strike, the other workers having been advised by the Kaiapoi branch of the North Canterbury Freezing Workers’ Union to report for work until to-dav. The president of the branch (Mr S. Miller) said that work ceased because the slaughtermen claimed that one of their members, a union official, had been victimised. The man in question had been ordered by the National Service Department in Wellington to leave camp at Trentham and report to Christchurch for duty at the freezing works. The manager of the company (Mr N, S. Wyber) had said that he would oppose this direction, stating no reasons. Later, in answer to union officials, he < had said that he had no job available. “This man is an experienced chain slaughterman, and inexperienced learners have since been engaged on the chain, and may pdssibly lower the men's earnings,” said Mr Miller. “The men object to new hands being put on when experienced men are available, and claim that this man has been refused a start on account of his union activities.”

Commenting on Mr Miller’s statement, Mr Wyber said last night that the man referred to had not been directed to the works' by the manpower authorities. The company did not require his services, as it had experienced men doing his particular job,

Mr Wyber added that there would be no difficulty with the 3000 lambs waiting to be killed, as they were being well cared for, with plenty of feed and water.