ISLINGTON DISPUTE

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28888, 7 May 1959, Page 14

ISLINGTON DISPUTE

Heating Being Installed

Heaters are now being installed at the Islington freezing works where this week’s cold snap brought to a head a dispute between the slaughtermen and the New Zealand Refrigerating Company. The Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Freezing Workers’ Union, representing the men, claims the company has been tardy in instilling heating in the dining and dressing rooms in a building completed about two years ago. They put up with the cold last winter, and do not want to do so again, the union claims. They are asking for warm jerseys or sleeved singlets, and tweed trousers to wear during their breaks from work to avoid getting chills. In the meantime, the contracting firm’s engineers are working long hours to speed the installation of eight of the planned 16 steamheating units They expect to have these operating and the rooms reasonably warm by the time work starts on Monday morning. Meeting Yesterday

When company and union representatives met yesterday, under the chairmanship of the conciliation commissioner (Mr S. W. Armstrong). the management offered to supply the men with sleeved singlets only, as the heating should be working in a few days —and the installation completed within a fortnight.

However, the union was not satisfied with this offer, said Mr Armstrong. There will be a mass meeting at the works this morning and afterwards the men will give their decision.

Company spokesmen claimed yesterday that it was not a coincident that work on the heating system apparently began last Monday, when the men renewed their claims for warm clothing. Work preparatory to the installation had been going on for many months, they said. Killing resumed at the works yesterday. This was one of the commissioner’s conditions for the holding of the conference.