Wage Rise “Disappoints” Auckland Dairy Workers

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28792, 13 January 1959, Page 7

Wage Rise “Disappoints” Auckland Dairy Workers

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, January 12. Although members endorsed the settlement obtained in the recent dairy industry dispute, they had expressed disappointment about the amount of the increase obtained by the national union, said the secretary of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Dairy Workers’ Union (Mr L. D. Robertson) this morning. He said that a meeting of the branch in Hamilton last night had directed the executive to take all possible steps to obtain a separate award for the northern industrial district. < Mr Robertson released a press statement which, he said, had been approved by last night’s meeting. ‘‘First of all, and notwithstanding all the criticism and abuse which have been levelled at us through the newspapers, we have no apologies to make to anyone for our stand to improve our sub-standard wage rate,” the statement said. “For the recent disturbance we lay the blame fairly and squarely at the employers’ door. ‘Tn recent press reports, among others, two leading spokesmen for the industry, Messrs A. Hayward and W. N. Perry, have complained bitterly about us in respect of our nonobservance of the principles of conciliation and arbitration. “We would challenge these gentlemen, and any others who have represented the employees on industrial matters over the last 21 years, to inform the public by giving chapter and verse, of any single occasion when they have voluntarily offered the dairy workers any substantial wage increase or - major condition change. ’

“At the time of the last increase in wages (1955) a nominal wage of 5s was agreed upon in the second conciliation council —but only after the workers had threatened to take a holiday on each Monday. Even when the price of butterfat was rising and at very high levels, the employers’ representatives consistently refused to conciliate.

“More recently the industry was threatening to change over from cheese to casein manufacture if suppliers did not receive an additional penny per lb of butterfat in the price differential for cheese, apparently having little concern for the resultant drop in overseas earnings which would eventuate from switching from a £290 a ton commodity to one selling at £l5O a ton. “Is it any wonder that knowledgeable dairy factory workers —as well as many working farmers—view the present crop of rantings with mistrust and contempt?” the statement concluded.