Farmers Volunteer To Man Own Factories

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28783, 2 January 1959, Page 8

Farmers Volunteer To Man Own Factories

AUCKLAND, January 1. Farmers are ready and willing to man their own dairy factories if the threatened strike of factory workers takes place from midnight next Tuesday.

But factory employers say that while this help would enable some factories to continue processing dairy products, it would still be impossible for many factories in the South Auckland area to carry on. The employers say it would be impossible io get enough men able and licensed to drive heavy articulated tankers for milk collection and that, in any case, some factories required skilled labour to handle a heavy bulk of produce for any length of time. Meanwhile, the employers are calling for Government action to forestall an illegal strike. They claim the action of the Dairy Factory Workers* Union is unconstitutional because the union award does not expire until February 28 and a conciliation meeting has been set down for January 22 and 23. Mr R. J. Glasgow, a member of the South Auckland Dairy Factory Employers’ Association and a representative at the meeting in Wellington on Tuesday, said tonight that the Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) had gone on holiday and that efforts to get in touch with him from Wellington on Wednesday had failed Promising help from farmers, the Dominion chairman of the Federated Farmers* dairy section, Mr R. Woolerton, said today: “It is unthinkable to pour millions of gallons of milk down the drain at this time.

“Farmery will not be caught unawares and they are prepared

(New Zealand Press Association)

to work in the factories for as long as they are required even though many of them are now busy with haymaking.” Mr Woolerton said that, apart from the strike threat, dairy farmers were experiencing hard times and were in belligerent mood. He had had many telephone calls from farmers, especially over the last 24 hours. Farmers were already accepting less than their cost of production and they would do anything they could not to have their costs increased by a rise in wages for dairy factory employees. “It would not take any organising to get farmers on the job,” said Mr Woolerton. “We could get notice to them in a day. “After the meeting of the Auckland branch of the union on Sunday night we will know definitely what is going to eventuate and on Monday and Tuesday we will see what is to be done ” The president of the Dairy Factory Workers’ Union (Mr A. Whowell) said: “We feel that now farmers are going in, there is no need for the employers to run to the Minister Let them put the farmers in and let’s see what sort of a job they make of it.” Mr J Valder. factory manager for the East Tamaki Co-operative Dairy Company, said many farmers had telephoned him with offers of assistance, but no steps had been taken yet

Generally, said Mr Valder, dairy factory workers today were as happy a body of employees as had been in the industry for some years. He felt that, on a personal basis, his staff would be happy to carry on. More overtime was being offered in dairy factories today than in many other industries.