Freezing Industry Talks End In Deadlock

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29221, 3 June 1960, Page 12

Freezing Industry Talks End In Deadlock

(A’ew Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 2. The compulsory conference called by the Minister of Labour (Mr Hackett) to settle a dispute in the freezing industry ended in deadlock today after four hours of discussion between the employers’ and workers’ representatives. The only agreement that both sides would acknowledge tonight was that neither party had offered any compromise. The freezing workers’ advocate (Mr F. P. Walsh), who is president of the Federation of Labour, said the federation would now call a special meeting with freezing workers’ representatives tomorrow morning to discuss the position.

Opening the conference, Mr S. W. Armstrong, a Conciliation Commissioner, said he had been asked by the Minister to convene the conference under powers conferred by the Industrail Conciliation and Arbitration Act because the Minister believed that otherwise there might be a stoppage of work in the industry, which could spread to other industries.

The employers’ advocate (Mr J. B. Walton) confirmed later that the freezing companies had refused to accept the Secretary of Labour (Mr H. L. Bockett) as chairman, because they considered he might be compromised, having already appeared as Mr Walsh’s witness on the matter when it was referred to the Arbitration Court.

At Mr Walsh’s request the proceedings were closed to the press, and Mr Armstrong ruled that only the accredited representatives of both sides could be present. This meant that four reporters, two members of the federation executive, and a number of Freezing Workers’ Union representatives had to leave the room. Parties’ Statements Both parties made statements after the meeting indicating that discussions had hinged on whether the employers had made an agreement to pay the 24 per cent, general wage order incorporation retrospectively to February 8, the day the matter first came before the Arbitration Court. Mr Walton said he had told Mr Walsh that if the Court saw fit to alter the award the employers would not object to retrospective payment at that time. The Court did not alter the award, but referred the parties back to conciliation after merely shortening the award by two months. Mr Walton said this meant it had been up to the Court to decide a date, and Mr Walsh was not opposed by the employers in the Court when he made the application. Up to that point the intention of the parties was confirmed later by Mr Bockett when he gave evidence in the Court in April, said Mr Walton. The employers maintained that they had carried out their bargain to the letter and were not trying to avoid responsibility on a technicality. Incorporation, but not retrospective payment was agreed on in conciliation only last week It was after this that Mr Walsh and the freezing workers took their dispute to the Minister. Mr Walsh’s View Mr Walsh said that the spirit of the employers’ agreement implied that retrospective pay would apply when agreement on incorporation was arrived at. It was on this basis that he had advised against direct action on the previous occasion. He claimed that the Secretary of Labour agreed with this, but

when the matter was referred to Mr Bockett tonight he declined to comment, except to say that “different people can put a different interpretation on different things.”

Mr Walsh called Mr Bockett into the conference today for a brief period to give his opinion on what occurred at the last compulsory conference. It was agreed by both sides that it was because their views were opposed that today’s conference broke up. Another Conference?

Mr Armstrong said he would have to report this back to the Minister. The parties might be called together later. However, Mr Walton said the employers had offered to accept an adjournment in the meanwhile, but the workers had rejected the proposal. Another suggestion that Mr Armstrong should make the final decision was not pursued. Before the conference began it was understood that Mr Walsh had discussed with the freezing workers the possibility of refusing to load out carcases and getting the support of other unions on the matter. Mr Walton said that Mr Walsh had already advised the employers that he would not sign the documents to allow a partial agreement (the actual incorporation arrived at in last week's conciliation) to go forward to the Court, so it had now been left to the employers to send the papers to the Court unsigned by the workers’ representative. The Minister of Labour tonight declined to comment on the breakdown of the conference.